Chapter 195 - The Buddha chooses Ānanda as servant

atha bhagavān yathābhiramyaṃ śrāvastyāṃ viharati; yena śālā tena cārikāṃ <caran> prakrāntaḥ; anupūrveṇa cārikāṃ caran śālāmanuprāptḥ; śālāyāṃ viharati brāhmaṇagrāmake; tena khalu samayena evaṃrūpā saṃbahulā sthavirasthavirā mahāśrāvakā bhagavataḥ sāmantakamupaniśritya viharantyaraṇyakuṭikāyā<ṃ>, tadyathā āyuṣmānājñātakauṇḍinyaḥ, āyuṣmānaśvajidbhadrikaḥ bāṣpaḥ mahānāmā yaśā pūrṇaḥ vimalaḥ gavāmpatiḥ subāhuḥ āyuṣmān śāriputraḥ āyuṣmānmahāmaudgalyāyanaḥ āyuṣmānmahākāśyapaḥ (i 60) āyuṣmānmahākauṣṭhilaḥ āyuṣmānmahākapphinaḥ āyuṣmānaniruddhaḥ nandikaḥ kimpilaḥ yaśā śālāviharīyakasthaviraḥ pūrṇaḥ kuṇḍopadhānīyakasthavira itīme cānye ca sthavirasthavirā mahāśrāvakā bhagavataḥ sāmantakamupaniśritya viharanti.
tatra bhagavān bhikṣūnāmantrayate sma: ahamasmi bhikṣavaḥ etarhi jīrṇo vṛddho mahallakaḥ, klāmyāmi catasraḥ parṣado'vavadituṃ bhikṣūn bhikṣuṇīḥ upāsikānupāsikyaḥ; utsāhayata me bhikṣavo bhikṣumupasthāyakaṃ yo māmupasthānaṃ kariṣyati manāpena nāmanāpena, bhāṣitaṃ codgrahīṣyati, svamarthaṃ ca na riṃciṣyati; athāyuṣmānājñātakauṇḍinya utthāyāsanādekāṃśamuttarāsaṅgaṃ kṛtvā yena bhagavāṃstenāñjaliṃ praṇamayya bhagavantamidamavocat*: ahaṃ bhadantamupasthāsyāmi manāpena nāmanāpena, bhāṣitaṃ codgrahīṣyāmi, svaṃ cārthaṃ na riṃciṣyāmi; tvaṃ tāvatkauṇḍinya jīrṇo vṛddho mahallakaḥ; tavaiva tāvadupasthāyakena karaṇīyaṃ; niṣīda tvaṃ kauṇḍinya yathāsvake āsane; niṣaṇṇa āyuṣmān (a 447 ) ājñātakauṇḍinyo yathāsvake āsane; athāyuṣmānaśvajidbhadrikaḥ bāṣpaḥ mahānāmā yaśā pūrṇaḥ vimalaḥ gavaṃpatiḥ subāhuḥ āyuṣmān śāriputraḥ āyuṣmānmahāmaudgalyāyanaḥ āyuṣmānmahākāśyapaḥ āyuṣmānmahākauṣṭhilaḥ āyuṣmānmahākapphinaḥ āyuṣmānaniruddhaḥ nandikaḥ kiṃpilaḥ yaśā śālāvihārīyakasthaviraḥ pūrṇaḥ kuṇḍopadhānīyakasthavira utthāyāsanādekāṃśamuttarāsaṅgaṃ kṛtvā yena bhagavāṃstenāñjaliṃ praṇamayya bhagavantamidamavocan*: ahaṃ bhadantaṃ bhagavantamupasthāsyāmi manāpena nāmanāpena, bhāṣitaṃ codgrahīṣyāmi, svaṃ cārthaṃ na riṃciṣyāmi; tvamapi pūrṇo jīrṇo vṛddho mahallakaḥ; tavaiva tāvadupasthāyakena karaṇīyaṃ; niṣīda tvaṃ pūrṇa yathāsvake āsane; niṣaṇṇa āyuṣmān pūrṇo yathāsvake āsane.
athāyuṣmato mahāmaudgalyāyanasyaitadabhavat*: kaḥ punarbhagavato bhikṣurabhipreta upasthāyako bhaviṣyati? yannvahaṃ tadrūpaṃ samādhiṃ samāpadyeyaṃ yathā samāhite citte bhagavato mānasam (i 61) avalokayeyam; athāyuṣmānmahāmaudgalyāyanastadrūpaṃ samādhiṃ samāpanno yathā samāhite citte bhagavataḥ mānasamavalokayati; adrākṣīdāyuṣmānmahāmaudgalyāyano bhagavato mānasamāyuṣmatyānande pratiṣṭhitamānando me bhikṣurupasthāsyati manāpena nāmanāpena, bhāṣitaṃ codgrahīṣyati, svaṃ cārthaṃ na riṃciṣyati; dṛṣṭvā ca punastasmātsamādhervyutthāyāyuṣmantaṃ śāriputramidamavocat*: yatkhalu āyuṣman jānīyāḥ bhagavato mānasamāyuṣmatyānande pratiṣṭhitamānando me bhikṣurupasthāsyati manāpena nāmanāpena, bhāṣitaṃ codgrahīṣyati, svaṃ cārthaṃ na riṃciṣyati; tadyathā kūṭāgāre vā kūṭāgāraśālāyāṃ vā uttarāyatāyāṃ prācīnāyatāyāṃ pūrveṇa vātāyanena sūryaraśmayaḥ praviṣya paścimāṃ bhittiṃ niśritya tiṣṭheyuḥ; evameva bhagavato mānasamāyuṣmatyānande pratiṣṭhitamānando me bhikṣurupasthāsyati manāpena nāmanāpena, bhāṣitaṃ codgrahīṣyati, svaṃ cārthaṃ na riṃciṣyati; ehi gatvā utsāhayāvaḥ.
athāyuṣmān chāriputra āyuṣmāṃ ca mahāmaudgalyāyano yenāyuṣmānānandastenopasaṃkrāntau; upasaṃkramyāyuṣmatā ānandena sārdhaṃ saṃmukhaṃ saṃmodanīṃ saṃrañjanīṃ vividhāṃ kathāṃ vyatisārya ekānte niṣaṇṇau; ekāntaniṣaṇṇāvāyuṣmatśāriputramaudgalyāyanau; āyuṣmān śāriputra āyuṣmantamānandamidamavocat: utsaha tvamāyuṣmanānanda bhagavantamupasthātuṃ, maharddhikā te bhaviṣyati sugataparicaryā; nāhamāyuṣman śāriputra utsahe bhagavantamupasthātuṃ; tatkasya hetoḥ; durāsadā hi buddhā bhagavanto duṣprasahāḥ; tadyathā agniḥ prajvalito durāsado bhavati duṣprasaho yadutārcirantarikayā, evameva durāsadā buddhā bhagavanto duṣprasahāḥ; nāhamutsahe bhagavantamupasthātuṃ; tadyathā siṃho mṛgarājā (a 447 ) giriguhāgato durāsado bhavati duṣprasaho yaduta daṃṣṭrāntarikayā, evameva durāsadā buddhā bhagavanto duṣprasahāḥ; tadyathā rājño nāgo matto mātaṅgaḥ kuñjaraḥ ṣaṣṭihāyana īṣādanto vyūḍhoraskaḥ saṃgrāmāvacaraḥ saṃgrāmamadhyagato durāsado bhavati duṣprasaho yaduta dantāntarikayā, evameva durāsadā buddhā bhagavanto duṣprasahāḥ; nāhamāyuṣman śāriputra utsahe bhagavantamupasthātuṃ. (i 62)
athāyuṣmānmahāmaudgalyāyana āyuṣmantamānandamidamavocat: yatkhalu āyuṣman jānīyaḥ bhagavato mānasamāyuṣmatyānande pratiṣṭhitamānando me bhikṣurupasthāsyati manāpena nāmanāpena, bhāṣitaṃ codgrahīṣyati, svaṃ cārthaṃ na riṃciṣyati; tadyathā kūṭāgāre vā kūṭāgāraśālāyāṃ vā uttarāyatāyāṃ prācīnāyatāyāṃ pūrveṇa vātāyanena sūryaraśmayaḥ praviṣya paścimāṃ bhittiṃ niśritya tiṣṭheyuḥ; evameva bhagavato mānasamāyuṣmatyānande pratiṣṭhitamānando me bhikṣurupasthāsyati manāpena nāmanāpena, bhāṣitaṃ codgrahīṣyati, svaṃ cārthaṃ na riṃciṣyati; utsaha tvamāyuṣmanānanda bhagavantamupasthātuṃ, maharddhikā te bhaviṣyati sugataparicaryā; evamahamāyuṣmānmahāmaudgalyāyana utasahe bhagavantamupasthātuṃ sacenme bhagavān trīn varān dadyāt, nāhaṃ bhagavato nirvasanaṃ cīvaraṃ dhārayeyaṃ; nāhaṃ bhagavataḥ paudgalikaṃ nimantraṇaṃ svīkūryāṃ; na ca me kaścidakālaḥ syādbhagavantaṃ darśanāyopasaṃkramituṃ paryupāsanāya; sacenme āyuṣmanmahāmaudgalyāyana bhagavānimān trīn varāṃ dadyāt, evamahamutsahe bhagavantamupasthātuṃ, nānyathā.
athāyuṣmānmahāmaudgalyāyana āyuṣmān śāriputra āyuṣmantamānandaṃ bhagavata upasthāyakamutsāhya yena bhagavāṃstenopasaṃkrāntau; upasaṃkramya bhagavataḥ pādau śirasā vanditvaikānte niṣaṇṇau; ekāntaniṣaṇṇo āyuṣmānmahāmaudgalyāyano bhagavantamidamavocat*: utsāhita āvābhyaṃ bhadanta bhikṣurbhagavata upasthāyako yadutāyuṣmānānanda; sa evamāha: sacenme āyuṣmanmahāmaudgalyāyana bhagavāṃstrīn varān dadyādevamahamutsahe bhagavantamupasthātuṃ; nāhaṃ bhagavato nirvasanaṃ cīvaraṃ dhārayeyaṃ, nāhaṃ bhagavataḥ paudgalikaṃ nimantraṇaṃ svīkūryāṃ; na ca me kaścidakālaḥ syādbhagavantaṃ darśanāyopasaṃkramituṃ paryupāsanāya; sacedbhagavānimān trīn varān dadyāt, evamahamutsahe bhagavantamupasthātuṃ; sādhu sādhu maudgalyāyana paṇḍita ānando bhikṣuḥ; sa paśyatyanāgataṃ (i 63) sabrahmacāriṇāmantikādvādānuvādaṃ garhasthānīyaṃ dharmaṃ; syurme atonidānaṃ sabrahmacāriṇo vaktāraḥ, cīvarahetorānando bhikṣuḥ śāstāramupatiṣṭhati; maudgalyāyana ānandasya bhikṣorāścaryādbhuto dharmaḥ; sādhu sādhu maudgalyāyana paṇḍita ānando bhikṣuḥ; sa paśyatyanāgataṃ sabrahmacāriṇāmantikādvādānuvādaṃ garhasthānīyaṃ dharmaṃ; syurme atonidānaṃ sabrahmacāriṇo vaktāraḥ, (a 448 ) piṇḍapātahetorānando bhikṣuḥ śāstāramupatiṣṭhati; sādhu sādhu maudgalyāyana paṇḍita ānando bhikṣuḥ kālajñaḥ kālavit*; sa kālaṃ jñāsyatyayaṃ me kālo bhagavantaṃ darśanayopasaṃkramitum, ayamakālaḥ; ayaṃ kālo bhikṣusaṃghasya bhikṣuṇīsaṃghasya upāsakaparṣadaḥ upāsikāparṣadaḥ ayaṃ kālo'nyatīrthikaparivrājakānāṃ darśanayopasaṃkramitum, ayamakālaḥ; amī anyatīrthikaparivrājikā bhagavataḥ kathāprātibhānikā amī na kathāprātibhānikāḥ; idaṃ khādanīyabhojanīyaṃ bhagavataḥ sukhopacayāya saṃvarteta, idaṃ na saukhopacayāya; maudgalyāyana paṇḍita ānando bhikṣuḥ kālajñaḥ kālavit; sa kālaṃ jñāsyati ayaṃ me kālo bhagavantaṃ darśanayopasaṃkramitum, ayamakālaḥ; ayaṃ kālo bhikṣusaṃghasya bhikṣuṇīsaṃghasyopāsakaparṣadaḥ upāsikāparṣadaḥ ayaṃ kālo'nyatīrthikaparivrājakānāṃ bhagavantaṃ darśanayopasaṃkramitum, ayamakālaḥ; amī anyatīrthikaparivrājikā bhagavataḥ kathāprātibhānikā amī na kathāprātibhānikāḥ; idaṃ khādanīyabhojanīyaṃ bhagavataḥ sukhopacayāya saṃvarteta, idaṃ na saukhopacayāya; ayaṃ maudgalyāyana ānandasya bhikṣorāścaryādbhuto dharmaḥ; sādhu sādhu maudgalyāyana paṇḍita ānando bhikṣuḥ; sa cetaḥparyāyakuśalaḥ; evaṃ saṃjñāsyati tathāgataṃ sāyāhne pratisaṃlayanādvyutthitaṃ nimittena vā parikathayā vā ādeṣṭum; anena cānena ca sukhavihāreṇa bhagavān bahulaṃ vyāhārṣīd; anena cānena ca sukhavihāreṇa sugato bahulaṃ vyāhārṣīd; yacca yadā ādekṣyati tatsarvaṃ tathaiva bhaviṣyati, nānyathā; ayaṃ maudgalyāyana ānandasya bhikṣorāścaryādbhuto dharmaḥ; sa tathāgatamupasthāsyati manāpena nāmanāpena, bhāṣitaṃ codgrahīṣyati, svaṃ cārthaṃ na riṃciṣyati; yanmaudgalyāyanānando bhikṣuḥ tathāgatamupasthāsyati manāpena nāmanāpena, (i 64) bhāṣitaṃ codgrahīṣyati, svaṃ cārthaṃ na riṃciṣyati, ayamānandasya bhikṣoḥ āścaryādbhuto dharmaḥ.
yadāyuṣmadbhyāṃ śāriputramaudgalyāyanābhyāmāyuṣmānānando bhagavata upasthāyaka utsāhitaḥ, bhagavatā cānuvarṇitaḥ, tadā bhikṣavaḥ saṃśayajātāḥ sarvasaṃśayacchettāraṃ buddhaṃ bhagavantaṃ papracchuḥ: kiṃ bhadanta āyuṣmatā ānandena karma kṛtaṃ yasya karmaṇo vipākena bhagavato bhrātā saṃvṛttaḥ, upasthāyako, bahuśrutaḥ., śrutadharaḥ, śrutasannicaya iti; bhagavānāha: ānandenaiva bhikṣavaḥ bhikṣuṇā karmāṇi kṛtānyupacitāni pūrvavadyāvatphalanti khalu dehināṃ.