Mahavagga, Khandaka 6, Chapter 34

1. Now at that time in Bhaddiya-nagara there dwelt a householder named Meṇḍaka (the Goat), who was possessed of this miraculous power: When he had bathed his head, and had had his granary swept out, he could sit outside and fill the granary by making showers of grain fall down from the sky. His wife was possessed of this miraculous power: When she sat down beside a pint^[1] pot and vessel for curry and sauce she could serve the serving men with food; and so long as she did not get up, it was not exhausted. Their son was possessed of this miraculous power: He could take a bag containing a thousand^[2], and give to each serving man six months' wages; and so long as he held it in his hand, it was not exhausted.

2. Their daughter-in-law was possessed of this miraculous power.: When she sat down beside a four-bushel^[3] basket she could give six months' rice to the serving men; and so long as she did not get up, it was not exhausted. Their slave was possessed of this miraculous power: When he ploughed with one plough-share seven furrows were formed.

3, 4. Now the Māgadha king Seṇiya Bimbisāra heard: 'In Bhaddiya-nagara in our kingdom there dwells, they say, a householder named Meṇḍaka, who is possessed (&c., as in §§ 1, 2, down to the end).'

5. Then the Māgadha king Seṇiya Bimbisāra said to a certain minister who had charge of general affairs: 'They say, good Sir, that in Bhaddiya-nagara (&c., as above). Go, good Sir, and find out about this. When you have seen it, it shall be the same as if I myself had seen it.'

'Even so, Lord,' said that minister, in assent, to the Māgadha king Seṇiya Bimbisāra, and he set out for Bhaddiya-nagara with his fourfold host.

6. And proceeding straight on he came to Bhaddiya-nagara, and to the place where the householder Meṇḍaka the was; householder Meṇḍaka a 'I have there, said to received command from the king, "They say, good Sir (&c., as above, S 5)." Let us behold, O householder, your miraculous power.'

Then Meṇḍaka the householder bathed his head, and had his granary swept out, and sat down outside it. And showers of grain fell down from the sky and filled the granary.

'I have seen, O householder, your miraculous power. Let us see that of your wife.'

7. Then Meṇḍaka the householder gave command to his wife, 'Serve then the fourfold host with food.'

And the wife of Meṇḍaka the householder took her seat beside a pint pot and a vessel of sauces and curry, and served the fourfold host with food; and until she rose up it was not exhausted.

'I have seen, O householder, the miraculous power of your wife. Let us see that of your son.'

8. Then Meṇḍaka the householder gave command to his son, 'Pay then, my dear boy, six months' wages to the fourfold host.'

And the son of Meṇḍaka the householder took one bag containing a thousand, and paid the four-fold army six months' wages. And so long as he held it in his hand, it was not exhausted.

'I have seen, O householder, the miraculous power of your son. Let us see that of your daughter-in-law.'

9. Then Meṇḍaka the householder gave command to his daughter-in-law, 'Give, then, six months' rice to the fourfold host.'

And the daughter-in-law of Meṇḍaka the householder sat down beside one four-bushel basket, and provided the fourfold host with six months' rice. And so long as she did not get up, it was not exhausted.

'I have seen, O householder, the miraculous power of your daughter-in-law. Let us see that of your slave.'

'The miraculous power of my slave, Sir, must be seen in the field.'

'It is enough, O householder. I have seen the miraculous power of your slave.'

Then that minister returned again to Rājagaha with his fourfold host, and went to the place where the Māgadha king Seṇiya Bimbisāra was, and when he had come there he told the matter to the Māgadha king Seṇiya Bimbisāra.

10. Now the Blessed One, when he had remained at Vesālī as long as he thought fit, went on his way to Bhaddiya with a great company of Bhikkhus, with one thousand two hundred and fifty Bhikkhus. And the Blessed One wandering straight on arrived at Bhaddiya. And there the Blessed One stayed in the Jātiyāvana.

11. And Meṇḍaka the householder heard: 'Behold, that Samaṇa Gotama, of the Sakya clan, who left the Sakya tribe to adopt the religious life, is now arrived at Bhaddiya and is staying in the Jātiyāvana. Now regarding that venerable Gotama, such is the high reputation that has been noised abroad that he is said to be a fully-enlightened one, blessed, and worthy, abounding in wisdom and goodness, happy, with knowledge of the worlds, unsurpassed, who guides men as a driver curbs a bullock, a teacher of gods and men, a blessed Buddha. He by himself thoroughly understands, and sees, as it were face to face, this universe, the world with its Devas, and with its Brahmas; and with its Māras, and all creatures, Samaṇas and Brāhmaṇas, gods and men: and he then makes that knowledge known to others. The truth doth he make known, both in the spirit and in the letter: lovely in its origin, lovely in its progress, lovely in its consummation. The higher life doth he proclaim, in all its purity and all its perfectness. Blessed is the sight of Arahats like that.'

12. Then Meṇḍaka the householder had a number of splendid carriages made ready, and mounting one of them he set out from Bhaddiya with the train of splendid carriages to visit the Blessed One.

And many Titthiyas saw Meṇḍaka the householder as he was coming from afar; .and when-they had seen him, they said to Meṇḍaka the householder:

'Whither, O householder, are you going?'

'I am going, Sirs, to visit the Blessed One, the Samaṇa Gotama.'

'But why, O householder, do you, being a Kiriya-vāda, go out to visit the Blessed One who is an Akiriya-vāda? For, O householder, the Samaṇa Gotama, who is an Akiriya-vāda, teaches Dhamma without the doctrine of action^[4], and in this Dhamma he instructs his hearers.'

13. Then thought Meṇḍaka the householder: 'For a certainty that Blessed One must be an Arahat Buddha: since these Titthiyas are so jealous of him.' And he went on to the place where the Blessed One was, proceeding in the carriage as far as the ground was passable for carriages, and then dismounting from the carriage, and going on foot. And when he had come there, he bowed down before the Blessed One, and took his seat on one side.

And when he was so seated the Blessed One preached (&c., as usual, for instance, I, 8, 2; 3, down to:) 'taken his refuge in him.'

'May the Blessed One consent to take his meal, together with the Bhikkhu-saṃgha, at my house to-morrow.'

The Blessed One consented by remaining silent.

14. Then Meṇḍaka the householder when he saw that the Blessed One had consented (&c., as usual, see VI, 18, 1, 2, down to:) sat down on the seat prepared for him.

15. Then the wife, and the son, and the daughter-in-law, and the slave of Meṇḍaka the householder went to the place where the Blessed One was: and when they had come there they bowed down before the Blessed One and took their seats on one side.

And the Blessed One preached to them (&c., as in § 13, down to:) 'taken their refuge in him.'

16. Then Meṇḍaka the householder served the Bhikkhu-saṃgha with the Buddha at their head (&c., as usual, down to:) sat down on one side.

And when he was so seated Meṇḍaka the householder said to the Blessed One: 'So long as the Blessed One shall stay at Bhaddiya, so long will I provide the Bhikkhu-saṃgha with the Buddha at their head with food every day.'

Then the Blessed One gladdened (&c., as usual, down to:) the Blessed One rose from his seat, and went away.

17. Now when the Blessed One had remained at Bhaddiya as long as he thought fit, he went on, without informing Meṇḍaka the householder, to Aṅguttarāpa with a great company of Bhikkhus, with one thousand two hundred and fifty Bhikkhus.

And Meṇḍaka the householder heard: 'The Blessed One, they say, has gone on to Aṅguttarāpa with (&c., down to:) Bhikkhus.' And Meṇḍaka the householder gave command to his slaves and servants: 'Load then, my men, a quantity of salt and oil, and rice, and hard food, and come: and let one thousand two hundred and fifty cow-keepers come with one thousand two hundred and fifty cows. Wherever we find the Blessed One there will we supply him with fresh milk.'

18. And Meṇḍaka the householder came up with the Blessed One in a desert place on the way. And Meṇḍaka the householder went up to the place where the Blessed One was: and when he had come he stood on one side. And so standing, Meṇḍaka the householder said to the Blessed One: 'May the Blessed One consent to take his meal (&c., as usual, down to:) 'The time has come, and the meal is ready.'

19. And the Blessed One early in the morning (&c., down to:) sat down on the seat prepared for him.

Then Meṇḍaka the householder gave command to those thousand two hundred and fifty cow-keepers: 'Take then, my men, each of you a cow, and wait each of you upon a. Bhikkhu, and provide him with fresh milk.'

And Meṇḍaka the householder waited upon the Bhikkhu-saṃgha with the Buddha at their head with his own hand, and satisfied them with sweet food, hard and soft, and with fresh milk. The Bhikkhus, fearing to offend, would not take the milk:

'Take it, Bhikkhus, and drink it.'

20. And Meṇḍaka the householder, when he had waited with his own hand upon the Bhikkhu-saṃgha with the Buddha at their head, and had satisfied them with sweet food, hard and soft, and with fresh milk; and when the Blessed One had finished his meal, and had washed his hands and his bowl, took his seat on one side.

And, so sitting, Meṇḍaka the householder said to the Blessed One: 'There are desert ways, Lord, waterless and foodless, where it is not easy to travel without supplies for the journey. It would be well if the Blessed One were to allow the Bhikkhus to take supplies with them.'

Then the Blessed One gladdened (&c., as usual, down to:) rose from his seat, and went away.

21. And the Blessed One, in that connection, and on that account, after having delivered a religious discourse, said to the Bhikkhus:

'I allow you, O Bhikkhus, the five products of the cow;—milk, curds, ghee, buttermilk, and butter. There are, O Bhikkhus, desert ways, waterless and foodless, where it is not easy to travel without supplies for the journey. I allow you, O Bhikkhus, to provide yourselves with supplies for a journey;—rice for him who wants rice, beans for him who wants beans^[5], salt for him who wants salt, molasses for him who wants molasses, oil for him who wants oil, ghee for him who wants ghee. There are, O Bhikkhus, faithful and converted men who deposit gold with a kappiya-kāraka^[6], saying, "Provide whatever is allowable for this Bhikkhu." I allow you, O Bhikkhus, to accept whatever is allowable. But I do not say by that, O Bhikkhus, that you may, on any pretext whatsoever, accept or seek for gold.'

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Aḷhaka. See Rh. D., 'Ancient Coins and Measures,' p.18.

[2]:

Ibid. p. 9 and note 4.

[3]:

Doṇa. Ibid. p. 18.

[4]:

See above, VI, 31, 5.

[5]:

Two kinds of beans are mentioned, mugga and māsa.

[6]:

See above, chap. 17. 8.