Chapter XXVIII - The story of Trapuṣa (Trapusa) and Bhallika

After he had left the abode of Mucilinda the Nāga king, the Exalted One spent the sixth week fasting in joy and ease at the foot of the Goatherd’s Banyan-tree. When this sixth week at the foot of the Goatherd’s Banyan-tree was over, (303) he spent the seventh week fasting in joy and ease at a shrine of many devas in a thicket of kṣīrikā^[1] trees. Thus the Exalted One fasted for seven weeks or forty-nine days.

In the north country is a town^[2] called Ukkala.^[3] Now it happened that two merchants of this town of Ukkala, by name Trapusa^[4] and Bhallika,^[5] who were rich, wealthy, opulent, virtuous, and possessing many attendants, were coming with five hundred loads along that way from the south. Of their luck-bringing oxen one bull was born under the constellation Sujātā,^[6] and another under the constellation Kīrtikā.^[7] And they were hence called Sujāta and Kīrtika after the constellations. They went in front of the whole caravan drawing the leader’s waggon. Wherever on the journey there was any danger, whether from a lion, tiger, leopard, rhinoceros, elephant, demon of the forest, flood or brigand, the bulls would refuse to go that way. The merchants thus knew there was danger there, and they would come together and go scouting in all directions.

Now the bulls Sujāta and Kīrtika came to the thicket of kṣīrikā trees. There in the thicket of kṣīrikā trees they were stopped by the magic power of the dead relatives of the traders Trapusa and Bhallika who had become devas, and they could not go on. When they stopped all the men of the caravan became frightened and got ready to fight. But the relations who had become devas, standing in the air, raised a shout and made their noise heard. “Traders,” cried they, “be not afraid. No danger threatens you. But the Exalted One, the Buddha, abides in the wood here, having appeared after a period of seven incalculable kalpas for the sake of the welfare and happiness of mankind, out of compassion for the world, for the benefit and welfare of the great multitude of devas and men. (304) And he has been fasting these seven weeks or forty-nine days. Serve him with food. Thus will your root of merit be infinite.”

On hearing the words of the devas the traders Trapusa and Bhallika brought refreshment of honey mixed with ghee. And the devas went in front of the traders, saying, “Come, this way.” Thus the traders were led by the devas into the presence of the Exalted One.

The traders, taking with them the refreshment of honey, approached the Exalted One and said to him, “We pray thee, Lord, eat of this refreshment of honey as a favour to us.”

But then this thought occurred to the Exalted One: “Now did the perfect Buddhas of yore receive food in their bowls or in their hands^[8]? They took it in bowls.” As soon as this thought occurred to the Exalted One, the Four Guardians of the world^[9] came bearing four golden bowls and went up to him. But the Exalted One, on the score that bowls of precious metal were not suitable for a recluse, would not accept them. So they brought silver bowls and went up to the Exalted One. But these again the Exalted One would not accept, because they were of precious metal. In the same way they brought bowls of pearl, of beryl, crystal, white coral and ruby, but on the score that bowls of precious stones were not suitable for a recluse, the Exalted One would not accept them.

Finally they came to the Exalted One bringing bowls of stone.^[10] Then the thought occurred to the Exalted One: “If I accept a bowl of one Guardian of the world, misgiving will arise in the hearts of the other three.” So the Exalted One accepted all the four bowls of the Four Guardians. He touched them with his thumb and they became one bowl. But though the four bowls were thus become one bowl, four koṭis of replicas of all the four bowls were to be seen.^[11]

Then the Exalted One partook of the refreshment of honey given him by the traders Trapusa and Bhallika.

(305) When the Exalted One had drunk the refreshment of honey which had been given him by the traders Trapusa and Bhallika and which was choice and exquisite, having good colour, smell, and taste, he pronounced a blessing^[12] on them:

Many a goodly quality the refreshing food was said to have. It was good of colour, smell and taste.

The first refreshment that Trapusa and Bhalliya gave the Master was choice, exquisite, desirable and fitting.

The Supreme of men drank this drink of honey and ghee. By them was the Hero regaled as he came out of his seclusion, as he himself regaled devas, Gandharvas and men with the rain of dharma.

He bestowed^[13] a blessing on them,^[14] a blessing divine, bringing good luck and success. When they heard it they were glad, for it would prosper all their affairs.

Blessing be on your men and on your beasts; blessing be on you when you go your ways and when you return.

Blessing be on you by night and by day; blessing be on you at noon-tide. Blessing be on you always; may no evil befall you.

May good luck stand on your right shoulder and on your left; may good luck cling to your every limb like a garland.

Good fortune and good luck be yours, traders; may it be well with you on whatever business you go to the regions of the east.

May the stars that stand over that region protect you, Kṛttikā,^[15] Rohiṇī, Mṛga, Ārdrā, Punarvasu, the fair constellation Puṣya, and Aśleṣā, the seventh.

(306) These are seven glorious constellations which keep ward in the world; to them is assigned the eastern quarter in the region of the east.

May these watch over you abroad and at home.^[16] May the quarters be propitious to you. May no evil befall you. Return successful, guarded by these constellations.

In the region of the eastern quarter are eight young deva maidens, Nandottarā, Nandisenā, Nandinī, Nandirakṣitā, Jayantī, Vijayantī, Siddhārthā and Aparājitā, whose sovereign lord is named Dhṛtarāṣṭra.^[17]

He is king and lord of the Gandharvas, and is protected by the devas.^[18] May he, too, watch over you abroad and at home.

May the quarters be propitious to you. May no evil befall you. Return successful, guarded by all the devas.

In the region of the eastern quarter is a shrine named Cāpala,^[19] which is always ablaze with splendour and where prayers are always answered.^[20] May it watch over you abroad and at home.

May the quarters be propitious to you. May no evil befall you. Return successful, guarded by all the shrines.

On whatever business you go to the south, may the constellations that stand in that quarter guard you—Maghā, the twin Phālguṇī, Hastā, Citrā, the fifth, (307) Svātī and Viśākhā—the southern quarter is theirs.

These are seven glorious constellations which keep ward in the world; to them is assigned the southern quarter in the regions of the south.

May these watch over you abroad and at home. May the quarters be propitious to you. May no evil befall you. Return successful, guarded by these constellations.

In the region of the southern quarter there are eight young deva maidens, Lakṣīmatī, Śirīmatī, Yaśomatī, Yaśodharā, Śubheṣṭhitā, Suprabhātā, Suviśuddhā and Suvyākṛtā. May these, too, watch over you abroad and at home.

May the quarters be propitious to you. May no evil befall you. Return successful, guarded by these deva maidens.

Their lord and king is named Virūḍhaka. May this king and lord of the Kumbhāṇḍas, together with Yama, protect you.

May the quarters be propitious to you. May no evil befall you. Return successful, guarded by the Kumbhāṇḍas.

In the region of the southern quarter is a shrine named Abhipaśya,^[21] which is always ablaze with splendour and where prayers are always answered.

May this, too, watch over you abroad and at home. May the quarters be propitious to you. May no evil befall you. Return successful, safeguarded by the shrine.

On whatever business you go to the western quarter (308) may the constellations that stand in that quarter guard you: Anurādhā, Jyeṣṭhā, Mūla, steady and strong, the twin Āṣādhas, Bhiji, and the seventh, Śravaṇā.

May these, too, watch over you abroad and at home. May the quarters be propitious to you. May no evil befall you. Return successful, guarded by these constellations.

In the region of the western quarter are eight young deva maidens, Alambuṣā, Miśrakeśī, Ariṣṭā, Suprabhāyakā, . . .^[22] Kṛṣṇā, Śukrā and Draupadī. May these, too, watch over you and give you health and prosperity.

May the quarters be propitious to you. May no evil befall you. Return successful, guarded by these deva maidens.

Their lord and king is named Virūpākṣa. May he, the lord and king of Nāgas, together with Varuṇa, protect you. May he watch over you abroad and at home. May the quarters be propitious to you. May no evil befall you. Return successful, protected by all the Nāgas.

In the region of the western quarter is a mountain called Asta, where the moon and sun turn round.^[23] May Asta give you wealth. May it, too, watch over you abroad and at home.

May the quarters be propitious to you. May no evil befall you. Return successful, all guarded by Asta.

On whatever business you go to the northern quarter, (309) may the constellations that stand in that quarter guard you,

Dhaniṣṭhā, Śatabhiṣā, the twin Proṣṭhapadā, Revatī, Aśvinī, and the seventh, Bharaṇī.

May these, too, watch over you abroad and at home. May the quarters be propitious to you. May no evil befall you. Return successful, guarded by these constellations.

In the region of the northern quarter eight young deva maidens are gathered, Ilādevī, Surādevī, Pṛthivī, Padumāvatī,

Āśā, Śraddhā, Hirī and Śirī.^[24] May these watch over you abroad and at home.

May the quarters be propitious to you. May no evil befall you. Return successful, guarded by these deva maidens.

Their lord and king is named Kuvera. He is lord and king of all the Yakṣas. May he, together with the Rākṣasīs protect you.

May he, too, watch over you abroad and at home. May the quarters be propitious to you. May no evil befall you. Return successful, guarded by the Yakṣas and Rākṣasas.

In the region of the northern quarter is a mountain called Kailāsa,^[25] the abode of the Yakṣa hosts and the home of the Rākṣasas.

May it, too, watch over you abroad and at home. May the quarters be propitious to you. May no evil befall you. Return successful, guarded by the Yakṣas and Rākṣasas.

Eight and twenty constellations, seven for each of the four quarters, (310) with the moon and sun making a full thirty.

Two and thirty deva maidens, eight for each of the four quarters. Four Great Kings, glorious guardians of the world, with blazing radiance guard the four quarters.

Eight recluses,^[26] eight brahmans, eight nobles in the provinces, eight devas with Indra, may these always watch over you.

Then the Exalted One gave them the three resorts^[27] of refuge. “Come,” said he, “to the refuge of the Buddha, to the refuge of the dharma, to the future refuge of the Exalted One’s community of disciples.” And so they came to the refuge of the Buddha, of the dharma and of the Saṅgha.

Then they said, “We, Lord, are traders who range over many a country and kingdom. Well would it be if the Exalted One were to give us^[28] a relic which we could worship.” With his own hand the Exalted One cut off some of the hair on his head and gave it them, saying, “Have a tope made for this hair”. He then cut his nails and gave them the parings, saying, “Have a tope made for my nails. Stones will be provided^[29] you and do you set them up.” So they erected a tope for the hair where the place named Keśasthālin now is. They erected a tope for his nails where the city named Vālukṣa now is. At the place named Śilukṣa^[30] they set up the stones which the Exalted One by his magic power had thrown there with his own hands.^[31]

Then the Exalted One, after his fast of seven weeks or forty-nine days, drank (311) the refreshing drink of honey given by Trapusa and Bhallika. But then the bilious humour of the Exalted One overflowed.^[32]

Then Śakra, lord of the devas, offered the Exalted One the fruit of the myrobalan tree,^[33] saying that it would ease^[34] the humours. The Exalted One partook of the myrobalan and he planted the stalk in that spot. And on that very same day it grew into a big myrobalan tree with wide-spreading branches and laden with flowers and fruit. This was the first of the trees that grew by the magic power of the Exalted One. The myrobalans which grew from this tree are to-day known as the Consecrated Myrobalan Wood.^[35]

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Kṣīrikā, an unidentified tree. Cf. vol. 2, pp. 248, 475 (text). V. 1.3, says he sat at the foot of the Rājāyatana tree, while Lal. Vist. 381 calls the tree Tārāyaṇa. Dpvs. 2.50 seems to approximate the Mhvu. tradition when it calls the tree khīrapāla. According to V. 1.1. he fasted only four weeks. J. 1.77 and Lal. Vist. 377ff, like the Mhvu., make the period seven weeks.

[2]:

Properly “place”, adhiṣṭhāna. D.P.N. is not correct in taking this as the proper name of the place from which Trapusa and Bhallika hailed. The text simply says Uttarāpathe Ukkalaṃ nāmādhiṣṭhānam, which must be interpreted as Ukkalanāma adhiṣṭhānam.

[3]:

Ukkalā in Pali. The region is generally identified with the modern Orissa. See Vin. Texts 1 p. 81, Thomas: Life of Buddha p. 85, and D.P.N. But the Mhvu. definitely places it in the north country and implies that they were passing that way on their journey home from the south, dakṣiṇāpathāto.

[4]:

Also spelt Trapuṣa in this story. The Pali forms vary between Tapassu and Tapussa.

[5]:

In Pali also Bhalliya and Bhalluka. The story of Trapusa and Bhallika is also found at V. 1.4, J. 1.80, and Lal. Vist. 381 ff., and BudvA. 290f. It is interesting to note how the story has been much expanded in the Mhvu., even as compared with the version in Lal. Vist.

[6]:

An unknown constellation.

[7]:

Kīrtikā. According to Senart this is a wrong Sanskritisation of kittikā, instead of kṛttikā, “the Pleiades.” Cf. Kārttika, the month November-December. Below, p. 305 (text) it is correctly spelt kṛttikā. But Senart’s reading kīrtika may be queried. Edgerton, however, accepts it as “hyper-Skt. for AMg. kittiā = Skt. kṛttikā.” (B.H.S.D.). This seems to be the only known instance of the form.

[8]:

Edgerton, Gram. § 22. 4, interprets this passage differently. He takes pāṇi in pāṇigrāhakā as an AMg. word for “water” (see B.H.S.D.), whence his translation “did they take a bowl (of food) or water?” But pāṇi in its Skt. sense of “hand” would seem to give a better meaning here, that is, “taking (food) in a bowl,” bhājanapratigrāhakā, is contrasted with “taking (food) in the hand.” Besides, the context deals with the matter of providing the Exalted One with bowls, and not with that of providing him with food as contrasted with water.

[9]:

I.e., the “Four Great Kings.” See vol. 1, p. 25, n. 3.

[10]:

At V. 3. 243 (= 4. 243) the orthodox bowls must be of iron or clay (mattikā). V. 2.112 adds that they must not be of gold, silver, jewels, beryl, crystal, bronze, tin, lead or copper.

[11]:

Literally “four koṭis of all the four bowls were seen,” sarveṣāṃ caturṇāṃ pātrāṇāṃ catvārī pātrakoṭīni dṛśyanti.

[12]:

Dakṣiṇām ādiśati. Cf. Pali dakkhiṇam ādisati, “to assign a gift.” Although the following verses are practically identical with those found at Lal. Vist., 387ff, in the same context, there is yet too much difference in detail for the text of the latter to be taken as a sure guide in correcting the occasional faultiness of the Mhvu. text. It is to be noted also that the Mhvu. differs from Lal. Vist. in having a few verses at the beginning which contain a brief allusion to the occasion on which they were spoken.

[13]:

Diśe, aor. of diśati. Senart prefers this reading to diśā in spite of the frequent allusions to the “quarters” of the world in the sequel and in spite of the reading in Lal. Vist. Besides, a finite verb is needed in our text.

[14]:

Sovatthika. Pali and BSk., Sk. svastika.

[15]:

The constellations and mythological persons mentioned in these verses are left unannotated: they will be found listed in the dictionaries. Although the verses are put in the mouth of the Buddha, they contain nothing specifically Buddhistic. They evidently were a traditional song of prayer or magic recited to safeguard travellers on distant journeys. It is interesting to note that both the Mhvu. and Lal. Vist. introduce the song at the same point in the story. The lists of names are practically identical in the two texts. It should be noted, however, that Lal. Vist. adds some verses at the end, which imply that the whole poem was composed and recited by the Buddha on this particular occasion.

[16]:

? bhūmīye bhavanena (instr. for loc.) ca, literally, “in the district (and) at home.”

[17]:

One of the “Four Great Kings.” See vol. 1, p. 25, n. 3. The others are mentioned below, viz. Virūḍhaka, Virūpākṣa and Kuvera. As a “Great King” the last is generally known by his patronymic Vaiśravaṇa (See, e.g., vol. 2, p. 153, n. 15).

[18]:

See p. 297, n. 1.

[19]:

This is probably mythical. At any rate it cannot be identical with the well-known Cāpāla-cetiya near Vesālī, the capital of the Vajjis to the north of the Ganges. Lal. Vist. names it Acāpala.

[20]:

nityaṃ satyopayācanam, literally “which always has true prayer.”

[21]:

Otherwise unknown. The corresponding name in Lal. Vist. is Padma.

[22]:

Lacuna, which Senart prefers to leave in his text rather than restore it after Lal. Vist.

[23]:

Literally “(which is) the turning round of moon and sun,” āvarto candrasūryāṇām. Asta, “the western mountain,” is the same word as is used in the expression astam i (gam, or yā) meaning, “to go home,” “go down,” “set.”

[24]:

Senart reads Śrī, and leaves a lacuna after it. But perhaps, the line should be made up by reading the BSk. form of this name, Śirī, as in Lal. Vist., and adding a conjunction like atha or api ca. One MS. actually has api.

[25]:

A mountain range located in the Himalayas and famous in epic and Buddhist mythology. In the Mhvu. it is the home of Kinnaras. See vol. 2, PP. 34, 97, 109 (text).

[26]:

The allusion to the eight recluses, brāhmans and nobles, which is found in Lal Vist. also, is obscure. As for the eight devas, Senart suggests that they consist of the “Four Great Kings” each attended by another deva. Thus Yama is mentioned with Virūḍhaka and Varuṇa with Virūpākṣa. To get Dhṛtarāśtra’s auxiliary deva Senart suggests that, at verse 10, p. 306, for devehi sa ca rakṣitaḥ we should read devendreṇa sa rakṣatu. The latter reading is more reasonable on other grounds also, for the text makes a “Great King to be protected by devas at the same time as he is invoked himself to protect human beings. In Lal. Vist. Maṇibhadra is invoked with Kuvera, and Senart suggests that for rākṣasīhi at verse 14, p. 309 should be substituted either this name or the name of a comparable deva.

[27]:

I.e., Buddha, dharma and the Saṅgha. At V. 1, 4 they are said to come to only two refuges, that of the Buddha and that of dharma, the Saṅgha not being yet established. They are there thus said to be “the first lay-disciples in the world using the two-word formula (dvevācikā). See I. B. Horner: Bk. of Disc., Vol. 4, p. 6.

[28]:

Mam., gen. pl. See p. 61, n. 1.

[29]:

“Will come,” āgamiṣyanti.

[30]:

These three places do not seem to be otherwise known. Rhys Davids, in Buddhist Birth Stories, p. 206, n. 2, has an interesting note on these hair-relics, in the course of which he alludes to the claims of both the Burmese and the Singhalese to be the modern possessors of them. He alludes also to the fact that the legend as given in J. is found in an ancient inscription on the great bell at Rangoon.

[31]:

See below, p. 313 (text).

[32]:

Senart’s text here is pītena Bhagavato te ca abhiṣyanditā. He takes the latter word as meaning “overflowed (with satisfaction),” i.e., “they (Trapusa and Bhallika) were overjoyed that the Buddha had drunk.” But the verb abhiṣyandati is also used of the “over-flow” of the humours of the body. See, e.g., 3. 143, 144, 153, 154 and cf. Pali. Edgerton (B.H.S.D.) in calling attention to this wrong interpretation by Senart adds that the exact reading of the whole sentence is uncertain; possibly, he says, it should be tathā (so MSS.) abhiṣyanditaṃ (impersonal), “over-exuberance of humours was caused.” But it may be suggested that for pītena, which is not readily constniable, we should read pittāni or pittā and retain abhiṣyanditā, or else pittaṃ abhiṣyanditam, “the bilious humour overflowed.” Hence the purgative harītakī given the Buddha by Śakra, so that there should be easing of the humours, dhātūnāṃ sukhaṃ bhaviṣyati (Senart, however, emends sukham (so MSS.) into mukham giving the sense, “so that the myrobalan tree should be the chief of relics” (dhātūnām).

[33]:

Harītakī. Pali (also Sk.) harītaka, yellow myrobalan, Terminalia citrina or chebula. Used as a purgative.

[34]:

Reading sukham for mukham. See preceding note.

[35]:

The text has cetakīyā harītakīprdbālā. Cetakīyā must be interpreted as an adjective formation equivalent to caitya. Prabālā is Senart’s conjecture for the pravānā of the MSS. Possibly however, the right reading is pravaṇa or BSk. pavana in the sense of “wood” (see vol. 2, p. 328, n. 3), and the whole phrase should be cetakīyaṃ harītakīpravaṇam (or -pavanam). The translation has been made on this assumption.