Mahavagga, Khandaka 1, Chapter 22

1. And the Blessed One, after having dwelt at Gayāsisa as long as he thought fit, went forth to Rājaha, accompanied by a great number of Bhikkhus, by one thousand Bhikkhus who all had been Jaṭilas before. And the Blessed One, wandering from place to place, came to Rājagaha. There the Blessed One dwelt near Rājagaha, in the Laṭṭhivana pleasure garden, near the sacred shrine of Supatiṭṭha^[1].

2. Then the Magadha king Seniya Bimbisāra heard: 'The Samaṇa Gotama Sakyaputta, an ascetic of the Sakya tribe, has just arrived at Rājagaha and is staying near Rājagaha, in the Laṭṭhivana pleasure garden, near the sacred shrine of Supatiṭṭha. Of Him the blessed Gotama such a glorious fame is spread abroad: "Truly he is the blessed, holy, absolute Sambuddha, endowed with knowledge and conduct, the most happy One, who understands all worlds, the highest One, who guides men as a driver curbs a bullock, the teacher of gods and men, the blessed Buddha. He makes known the Truth, which he has understood himself and seen face to face, to this world system with its devas, its Māras, and its Brahmās; to all beings, Samaṇas and Brāhmaṇas, gods and men; he preaches that Truth (Dhamma) which is glorious in the beginning, glorious in the middle, glorious at the end, in the spirit and in the letter; he proclaims a consummate, perfect, and pure life." It is good to obtain the sight of holy men (Arahats) like that.'

3. And the Magadha king Seniya Bimbisāra, surrounded by twelve myriads of Magadha Brāhmaṇas and householders^[2], went to the place where the Blessed One was; having approached him and respectfully saluted the Blessed One, he sat down near him. And of those twelve myriads of Magadha Brāhmaṇas and householders some also respectfully saluted the Blessed One and sat down near him; some exchanged greeting with the Blessed One, having exchanged with him greeting and complaisant words, they sat down near him; some bent their clasped hands towards the Blessed One and sat down near him; some shouted out their name and their family name before the Blessed One and sat down near him; some silently sat down near him.

4. Now those twelve myriads of Magadha Brāhmaṇas and householders thought: 'How now is this? has the great Samaṇa placed himself under the spiritual direction of Uruvelā Kassapa, or has Uruvelā Kassapa placed himself under the spiritual direction of the great Samaṇa?'

And the Blessed One, who understood in his mind the reflection which had arisen in the minds of those twelve myriads of Magadha Brāhmaṇas and householders, addressed the venerable Uruvelā Kassapa in this stanza: 'What knowledge have you gained, O inhabitant of Uruvelā, that has induced you, who were renowned for your penances^[3], to forsake your sacred fire? I ask you, Kassapa, this question: How is it that your fire sacrifice has become deserted?'

(Kassapa replied): 'It is visible things and sounds, and also tastes, pleasures and woman that the sacrifices speak of^[4]; because I understood that whatever belongs to existence^[5] is filth, therefore I took no more delight in sacrifices and offerings^[6].'

5. 'But if your mind, Kassapa (said the Blessed One^[7]), found there no more delight,—either in visible things, or sounds, or tastes,—what is it in the world of men or gods in which^[8] your mind, Kassapa, now finds delight? Tell me that.'

(Kassapa replied): 'I have seen the state of peace (i.e. Nirvāṇa) in which the basis of existence (upadhi^[5]) and the obstacles to perfection (kiñcana^[9]) have ceased, which is free from attachment to sensual existence, which cannot pass over into another state, which cannot be led to another state; therefore I took no more delight in sacrifices and offerings.'

6. Then the venerable Uruvelā Kassapa rose from his seat, adjusted his upper robe so as to cover one shoulder, prostrated himself, inclining his head to the feet of the Blessed One, and said to the Blessed One: 'My teacher, Lord, is the Blessed One, I am his pupil; my teacher, Lord, is the Blessed One, I am his pupil.' Then those twelve myriads of Magadha Brāhmaṇas and householders understood: 'Uruvelā Kassapa has placed himself under the spiritual direction of the great Samaṇa.'

7, 8. And the Blessed One, who understood in his mind the reflection that had arisen in the minds of those twelve myriads of Magadha Brāhmaṇas and householders, preached to them in due course (&c., as in chap. 7, §§ 5, 6, down to:). Just as a clean cloth free from black specks properly takes the dye, thus eleven myriads of those Magadha Brāhmaṇas and householders with Bimbisāra at their head, while sitting there, obtained the pure and spotless Eye of the Truth (that is, the knowledge): 'Whatsoever is subject to the condition of origination is subject also to the condition of cessation.' One myriad announced their having become lay-pupils.

9. Then the Magadha king Seniya Bimbisāra, having seen the Truth (&c. . . . . down to) dependent on nobody else for the knowledge of the Teacher's doctrine, said to the Blessed One: 'In former days, Lord, when I was a prince, I entertained five wishes; these are fulfilled now. In former days, Lord, when I was a prince, I wished: "O that I might be inaugurated as king." This was my first wish, Lord; this is fulfilled now. "And might then the holy, absolute Sambuddha come into my kingdom." This was my second wish, Lord; this is fulfilled now.

10. '"And might I pay my respects to Him, the Blessed One." This was my third wish, Lord; this is fulfilled now. "And might He the Blessed One preach his doctrine (Dhamma) to me." This was my fourth wish, Lord; this is fulfilled now. "And might I understand His, the Blessed One's doctrine." This was my fifth wish, Lord; this is fulfilled now. These were the five wishes, Lord, which I entertalned in former days when I was a prince; these are fulfilled now.

11. 'Glorious, Lord! (&c., as in chap. 7. 10, down to:) who has taken his refuge in Him. And 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.

12. Then the Magadha king Seniya Bimbisāra, when he understood that the Blessed One had accepted his invitation, rose from his seat, respectfully saluted the Blessed One, and, passing round him with his right side towards him, went away. And when the night had elapsed, the Magadha king Seniya Bimbisāra ordered excellent food, both hard and soft, to be prepared, and had dinner-time announced to the Blessed One in the words: 'It is time, Lord, the meal is ready.' And in the forenoon the Blessed One, having put on his under-robes, took his alms-bowl, and with his cīvara on entered the city of Rājagaha accompanied by a great number of Bhikkhus, by one thousand Bhikkhus who all had been Jaṭilas before.

13. At that time Sakka the king of the devas, assuming the appearance of a young Brāhman, walked in front of the Bhikkhu fraternity with Buddha at its head, singing the following stanzas: 'The self-controlled One with the self-controlled, with the former Jaṭilas, the released One with the released, the Blessed One, gold-coloured like an ornament of siṅgī gold^[10], has entered Rājagaha.

'The emancipated One with the emancipated, with the former Jaṭilas, &c.

'He who has crossed (the ocean of passion) with them who have crossed (it), with the former Jaṭilas, the released One with the released, the Blessed One, gold-coloured like an ornament of siṅgi go1d, has entered Rājagaha.

“He who is possessed of the ten Noble States^[11] and of the ten Powers^[12], who understands the ten Paths of Kamma^[13] and possesses the ten (attributes of Arahatship)^[14], the Blessed One, surrounded by ten hundred of followers, has entered Rājagaha.”

14. The people when they saw Sakka the king of the devas, said: 'This youth indeed is handsome; this youth indeed has a lovely appearance; this youth indeed is pleasing. Whose attendant may this youth be?'

When they talked thus, Sakka the king of the devas addressed those people in this stanza: 'He who is wise, entirely self-controlled, the unrivalled Buddha, tie Arahat, the most happy upon earth: his attendant am I.'

15. And the Blessed One went to the palace of the Magadha king Seniya Bimbisāra. Having gone there, he sat down with the Bhikkhus who followed him, on seats laid out for them. Then the Magadha king Seniya Bimbisāra with his 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, he sat down near him.

16. Sitting near him the Magadha king Seniya Bimbisāra thought: 'Where may I find a place for the Blessed One to live in, not too far from the town and not too near, suitable for going and coming, easily accessible for all people who want (to see him), by day not too crowded, at night not exposed to much noise and alarm, clean of the smell of people, hidden from men, well fitted for a retired life?'

17. And the Magadha king Seniya Bimbisāra thought: 'There is the Veḷuvana^[15], my pleasure garden, which is not too far from the town and not too near, suitable for going and coming, . . . . (&c., down to a retired life). What if I were to make an offering of the Veḷuvana pleasure garden to the fraternity of Bhikkhus with the Buddha at its head?'

18. And the Magadha king Seniya Bimbisāra took a golden vessel (with water in it, to be poured over the Buddha's hand); and dedicated (the garden) to the Blessed One (by saying), 'I give up this Veḷuvana pleasure garden, Lord, to the fraternity of Bhikkhus with the Buddha at its head.' The Blessed One accepted the ārāma (park). Then the Blessed One, after having taught, incited, animated, and gladdened the Magadha king Seniya Bimbisāra by religious discourse, rose from his seat and went away.

And in consequence of this event the Blessed One, after having delivered a religious discourse, thus addressed the Bhikkhus: 'I allow you, O Bhikkhus, to receive the donation of an ārāma (a park).'

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Laṭṭhivana (Sansk. yaṣṭivana), literally, 'stick forest,' means a forest consisting of bambus. General Cunningham has the following note about this bambu forest: 'In 1862, when I was at Rājgir (i.e. Rājagaha), I heard the bambu forest always spoken of as Jaktiban; . . . I fixed the position of the bambu forest to the south-west of Rājgir on the hill lying between the hot-springs of Tapoban and old Rāgagṛha.' Reports, III, 140.

[2]:

The word householder (gahapati) is used here, as is the case not unfrequently, to denote householders of the third caste. Compare Rh. D.'s' note on Mahā-sudassana Sutta, p. 260.

[3]:

Literally, 'who is known as emaciate.' This is said with reference to the mortifications practised by the Jaṭilas or Vānaprasthas. The Mahābhārata (III, 1499) uses the same adjective (kṛśa) of a Jaṭila. Vadāno we take for a participle, but it is possible also to read vadā no, 'tell us,' which Professor Jacobi (Zeitschrift der Deutschen Morg. Ges., XXXIV, p. 187) prefers. Buddhaghosa takes kisakovadāno for a compound of kisaka and ovadāna: tāpasānaṃ ovādako anusāsako.

[4]:

The meaning is: The mantras which are recited at the sacrifices contain praises of visible things, &c., and the rewards that are promised to him who offers such sacrifices do not extend beyond that same sphere.

[5]:

The Pāli word is upadhi, which is translated by Childers, 'substratum of being.' See our note on chap. 5. 2. In this passage upadhi is said to refer to the Khandhas (Buddhaghosa).

[6]:

Here we have the Vedic distinction of greater and smaller sacrifices (yajatayas and juhotaras).

[7]:

The words 'said the Blessed One' (ti Bhagavā avoca) are probably interpolated from a gloss, as they destroy the metre.

[8]:

Doubtless Buddhaghosa is right in explaining ko by kva.

[9]:

Akiñcana here, and elsewhere, used as an epithet of Arahatship, refers to the state of mind in which the kiñcanas, that is, lust, malice, and delusion (so in the Saṃgīti Sutta of the Digha Nikāya), have ceased to be. It is literally 'being without the somethings,' which are the things that stand in the way, the obstacles to Buddhist perfection; and Buddhaghosa (in the Sumaṅgala Vilāsinī on the passage in the Saṃgīti Sutta) explains accordingly kiñcana by paḷibodha.

[10]:

Gold colour is one (the 17th) of the thirty-two lakkhaṇa which form the characteristics of Buddha as a mahāpurisa.

[11]:

The ten ariyavāsas. Buddhaghosa says: dasasu ariyavāsesu vutthavāso. The Saṃgīti Sutta gives the ten Noble States, as follows: 1. being free from the five bad qualities (pañcaṅga), 2. being possessed of the six good qualities (chaḷaṅga), 3. being guarded in the one thing (ekārakkha), 4. observing four things (caturāpassena), 5. rejecting each of the four false truths (panunna pacceka-sacca), 6. seeking right things (samavayasa-dhesana), 7. having pure aims (anāvila-saṃkappa), 8. being full of ease (passaddhakāya-saṃkhāra), 9. being emancipated in heart (suvimuttacitta), 10. being emancipated in ideas (suvimuttapañña). The Saṃgīti then further enlarges on the meaning of each of these ten.

[12]:

The ten Balas, which are ten kinds of knowledge (ñāṇa); see Bumouf, Lotus, p. 781 and following, and compare Jātaka I, 78.

[13]:

Buddhaghosa explains dasadhammavidū by dasakammapathavidū.

[14]:

Buddhaghosa explains dasabhi c' ūpeto by suppJying asekhehi dhammehi. The first eight of the ten asekhā dhammā consist in the full perfection of sammādiṭṭhi (right belief) and the other categories enumerated in the formula of the Noble Eightfold Path; the ninth and tenth are the perfection of sammāñāṇa (right knowledge) and sammāvimutti (right emancipation).

[15]:

The site of the Veḷuvana ('bambu forest') near Rājagaha has not yet been discovered. 'It must have occupied about the position where the ancient basements, marked K. K. K. and G. in Cunningham's map of Rājagṛha (pl. xiv, Reports, vol. i), were found by him' (Rh. D., 'Buddhism,' p. 62 note).