Part 12 - The Founding of Pāṭaliputta

At that time, two brahmins, Sunidha and Vassakāra, Chief Ministers of Magadha Kingdom, were building a (fortified) city at the site of Pāṭali village to keep out the Vajjī princes. During that period, many devas in groups of a thousand each, were occupying plots of land at Pāṭali village.

In the location where the devas of great power were occupying, there, the officials responsible for the building of the city were inclined to build houses for princes and the king’s ministers of great power. In the location where the devas of medium power were occupying, there, the officials responsible for the building of the city were inclined to build houses for princes and king’s ministers of medium power. And in the location where the devas of lesser power were occupying, there, the official responsible for the building of the city were inclined to build houses for princes and king’s ministers of lesser power.

(Herein, among the city builders there were officials learned in the science of building-sites. They knew, by their specialised knowledge, the status of the proposed building-sites down to a depth of thirty cubits as to which area is occupied by powerful serpents or nāgas, which, by demons, or which, by evil spirits; or where a slab of rock is lying underneath, or where an old tree stump is hidden. Accordingly, those learned ones took necessary measures by reciting mantras or by blessing, so that they were able to proceed smoothly as if they were building the city in consultation with devas.

Another explanation: The officials responsible for the building of the city were possessed by the devas who occupied various locations and these devas would leave their bodies after the four corners of the building site have been marked out. Prospective human occupants, who were endowed with confidence in the Triple Gem, were possessed by the deva occupants of the sites who were equally endowed with confidence in the Triple Gem. Prospective human occupants who lacked confidence in the Triple Gem were possessed by the deva occupants of the sites who lacked confidence in the Triple Gem. The reason is this: the devas, who were endowed with confidence in the Triple Gem, influenced the mind of the prospective human occupants who had confidence in the Triple Gem, trusting that the new occupants would invite the Sangha to their newly built house and hear the sermon on the auspicious occasion and that they (the devas) would get the opportunity to see the virtuous bhikkhus and hear the Dhamma. They also expected the new occupants to share their merit of offerings made to the Sangha.)

The Buddha saw, with His Knowledge of the Divine Eye (dibba-cakkhu), how the devas in groups of a thousand each, were occupying plots of land at Pāṭali village. Then He woke up at dawn and asked the Venerable Ānanda: “Who are those that are building a city at (the site of) Pāṭali village?”

Ānanda replied: “Venerable Sir, the Brahmins Sunidha and Vassakāra, Chief Ministers of Magadha Kingdom, are building a (fortified) city to keep out the Vajjī princes.”

“Ānanda, the Chief Ministers are building the fortified city as though they were acting in consultation with the devas of the Tāvatiṃsa realm.

“Ānanda, I have seen with my Knowledge of the Divine Eye how the devas, in groups of a thousand each, were occupying plots of land at Pāṭali village.

“Ānanda, in the locations where the devas of great power are occupying, there, the officials responsible for the building of the city are inclined to build houses for princes and king’s ministers of great power. In the locations where the devas of medium power are occupying, there the officials responsible for the building of the city are inclined to build houses for princes and king’s ministers of medium power. In the locations where the devas of lesser power are occupying, there the officials responsible for the building of the city are inclined to build houses for princes and king’s ministers of lesser power.

“Ānanda, three catastrophes will bring about the downfall of the city of Pāṭaliputta. They are fire, floods, and internal dissension.” (Thus the Buddha was predicting that a part of Pāṭaliputta would be destroyed by fire, a part of it would be washed away by the Gaṅga river, and a part of it would be destroyed by internal dissension.)

After saying those words, the Buddha went to the Gaṅga river to wash His face and awaited for the time to go on the alms-round.

Then Sunidha and Vassakāra remembered that since their King Ajātasattu was a lay supporter of Gotama the Samaṇa, it would only be proper if they were to invite the Buddha to an offering of a meal, because they would be seeing Him in the village of Pāṭali. Further, they considered it a wise thing to request Gotama the Samaṇa, to bless their citybuilding project with auspicious words, for then the black devils would be driven away from the city site. So both went to the Buddha and stood at a suitable place. After exchanging memorable words of felicitation, they said to Him: “May it please the revered Gotama and the company of bhikkhus to accept our offering of food for today.” The Buddha, by His silence signified His acceptance.

Then the Magadhan Chief Ministers, Sunidha and Vassakāra, knowing that the Buddha had accepted their invitation, went to the place where they were putting up, and having prepared the choicest food and delicacies, informed the Buddha by messengers who said: “Revered Gotama, it is time (to proceed). The food offering is ready.”

Then in the morning, the Buddha rearranged His robes, and taking His alms-bowl and great robe, went in the company of the bhikkhus to the place where the two Magadhan

Chief Ministers were being housed, and sat at the place prepared for Him. Sunidha and Vassakāra attended to the Buddha and the bhikkhus, offering the choicest food and delicacies with their own hands till they caused them to stop, signifying they had enough. When the Buddha had finished His meal and had removed His hand from His alms-bowl, the Sunidha and Vassidara took low seats and sat at a suitable place.

To Sunidha and Vassakāra, who were thus seated, the Buddha expressed His pleasure and appreciation by three stanzas in Pāli (Here only prose translation in provided).

“Brahmins, when the wise man makes offerings of food to those possessed of virtue, self-control and purity of life at the place where he has made his home, he should share the merit of his offering with the devas who are guardians of that place. If the devas are honoured thus, they give protection to him, as their way of honouring him in return. If they are revered thus, they help him out of trouble, as their way of revering him in return. That being so, that wise man comes under the protection of the devas who safeguard him, just as a mother safeguards her own son. The person is blessed with auspiciousness at all times.”

After expressing His pleasure and appreciation in these stanzas to the Magadhan Chief Ministers, Sunidha and Vassakāra, the Buddha rose from His seat and left.

Then Sunidha and Vassakāra followed the Buddha all along the route, thinking: “We shall call the gateway, by which the revered Gotama leaves today, the ‘Gotama Gateway’, and the landing place, by which the revered Gotama crosses the Gaṅga, the ‘Gotama Landing Place’.”

The gateway by which the Buddha left that day came to be known as, the ‘Gotama Gateway’. Then the Buddha went to the river Gaṅga. At that time the river was full to the brim so that a crow on the bank might easily drink from it.

Then in the instant it might take a strong man to stretch out his bent arm or bend his out stretched arm, the Buddha vanished from this side of the Gaṅga and reappeared on the other shore together with the company of bhikkhus.

The Buddha saw the people who wanted to cross from one shore to the other, some of whom were looking for boats, some for log rafts, and some were making bamboo rafts.

Then He, understanding the matter, uttered these joyous words in exultation:

“The ariyans have crossed the deep and wide river of Craving (taṇhā), by building the bridge of the Ariya Path, upon having overcome the quagmire of moral defilement. As for the multitudes, they have to build rafts just to cross this insignificant river, the Gaṅga. However, the ariyas who have crossed the river of Craving by means of the Ariya Path of eight constituents have no need to make rafts.”