Cullavagga, Khandaka 4, Chapter 4

1. Now at that time the Blessed Buddha was staying at Rājagaha, in the Kalandaka Nivāpa, in the Bamboo Grove.

Now at that time the venerable Dabba the Mallian, who had realised Arahatship when he was seven years old, had entered into possession of every (spiritual gift) which can be acquired by a disciple; there was nothing left that he ought still to do, nothing left that he ought to gather up of the fruit of his past labour^[2]. And when the venerable Dabba the Mallian had retired into solitude, and was sunk in thought, the following consideration presented itself to his mind: 'Arahatship had I acquired when I was seven years old. I have gained everything that a learner can reach to. There is nothing further left for me to do, nothing to gather up of the fruit of that which I have done. What service is it possible for me to render to the Saṃgha?' And it occurred to the venerable Dabba the Mallian: 'It would be a good thing for me to regulate the lodging-places for the Saṃgha, and to apportion the rations of food.'

2. And when, at eventide, the venerable Dabba the Mallian had arisen from his meditations, he went to the place where the Blessed One was; and when he had come there he saluted the Blessed One, and took his seat on one side; and when he was so seated the venerable Dabba the Mallian spake thus to the Blessed One:

'When I had retired, Lord, into solitude and was sunk in thought, the following consideration presented itself to my mind (&c., as before, down to) It would be a good thing for me to regulate the lodging-places for the Saṃgha, and to apportion the rations of food. I desire, Lord, [so to do].'

'Very good, Dabba. Do you then regulate the lodging-places for the Saṃgha, and apportion the rations of food!'

'It is well, Lord,' said the venerable Dabba the Mallian, accepting the word of the Blessed One.

3. And the Blessed One on that occasion and in that connection, when he had delivered a religious discourse, addressed the Bhikkhus, and said:

'Let then the Saṃgha, O Bhikkhus, appoint Dabba the Mallian as the regulator of lodging-places, and as the apportioner of rations. And thus, O Bhikkhus, should the appointment be made.

'First Dabba should be asked (whether he is willing to undertake the office). When he has been asked, some able and discreet Bhikkhu should lay the resolution before the Saṃgha, saying,

'"Let the venerable Saṃgha hear me.

'"If it be convenient to the Saṃgha, let the Saṃgha appoint Dabba the Mallian as regulator of lodging-places, and as apportioner of rations. '"This is the resolution (ñatti).

'"Let the venerable Saṃgha hear me.

'"The Saṃgha appoints the venerable Dabba the Mallian as regulator of lodging-places, and as apportioner of rations. Whosoever of the venerable ones agrees that Dabba should be so appointed, let him remain silent; whosoever does not agree, let him speak. The venerable Dabba is appointed by the Saṃgha as regulator of the lodging-places, and as apportioner of rations. The Saṃgha approves thereof. Therefore is it silent. Thus do I understand."'

4. And the venerable Dabba the Mallian, being so chosen, appointed one lodging-place in the same place for the Bhikkhus who belonged to the same division. For those Bhikkhus who were repeaters of the Suttantas he appointed a lodging-place together, thinking, 'They will be able to chant over the Suttantas to one another.' For those Bhikkhus who were in charge of the Vinaya he appointed a lodging-place together, thinking, 'They will be able to discuss the Vinaya one with another.' For those Bhikkhus who were preachers of the Dhamma he appointed a lodging-place together, thinking, 'They will be able to talk over the Dhamma one with another.' For those Bhikkhus who were given to meditation^[3] he appointed one lodging-place together, thinking, 'They will not disturb one another.' For those Bhikkhus who were wise in worldly lore, and abounding in bodily vigour^[4], he appointed one lodging-place together, thinking, 'These venerable ones, too, will thus remain settled according to their pleasure.' And for such Bhikkhus as came in late, for them he caught fire^[5], and by the light of the flame thereof he pointed out to them a lodging-place.

So much so^[6] that Bhikkhus of set purpose would come in late, thinking, 'We shall thus behold the power of the Iddhi of the venerable Dabba the Mallian.' And they went up to the venerable Dabba the Mallian, and said: 'Appoint us, O venerable Dabba, a lodging-place.'

And to them the venerable Dabba the Mallian would speak thus: 'Where do the venerable ones desire to rest? Where shall I appoint it?'

And they of set purpose would designate some place afar, saying, 'May the venerable Dabba appoint us a lodging-place on the Vulture's Peak; may the venerable one appoint us a lodging-place at the Robber's Cliff; may the venerable one appoint us a lodging-place at the Black Rock on the Isigili Passa; may the venerable one appoint us a lodging on the Vebhāra Passa; may the venerable one appoint us a lodging-place in the Sattapaṇṇi Cave; may the venerable one appoint us a lodging-place in the mountain cave of the Snake's Pool in Sīta's Wood; may the venerable one appoint us a lodging-place in the Gomaṭa Grotto; may the venerable one appoint us a lodging-place in the cave of the Tinduka Tree; may the venerable one appoint us a lodging-place at the Tapoda Ghāt; may the venerable one appoint us a lodging-place in the Tapoda Ārāma; may the venerable one appoint us a lodging-place in Jīvaka's Mango Grove; may the venerable one appoint us a lodging-place in the deer-park at Maddakucchi.'

And the venerable Dabba the Mallian would burst into flame, and walk on in front of them with his finger burning, and they by the light thereof would follow close upon the venerable Dabba the Mallian. And the venerable Dabba the Mallian would appoint them a lodging-place, saying, 'This is the couch, and this the stool, and this the mat, and this the pillow, and this the privy place, and this the drinking-water^[7], and this the water for washing, and this the staff^[8], and this the form of (the result of) the consultation of the Saṃgha^[9], that at such and such a time are you to enter thereon, and at such and such a time are you to depart therefrom^[10].' And when the venerable Dabba the Mallian had thus appointed unto them their lodging-place, he would return back again to the Bamboo Grove.

5. Now at that time the Bhikkhus who were followers of Mettiya and Bhummajaka^[11] had been but recently received into the Saṃgha, and were wanting in merit, and such among the lodging-places appertaining to the Saṃgha as were inferior fell to their lot, and the inferior rations^[12].

Now at that time the people of Rājagaha were desirous of presenting to the Thera Bhikkhus a wishing-gift^[13], to wit, ghee and oil and dainty bits^[14]; while to the Bhikkhus who were followers of Mettiya and Bhummajaka they used to give an ordinary gift according to their ability, to wit, scraps of food and sour gruel with it^[15]. When they had returned from their receipt of alms, and had eaten their meal, they asked the Thera Bhikkhus, 'What did you get, Sirs, at the place of alms; what did you get?'

Some of the Theras answered, Sirs; 'We had ghee, we had oil, we had dainty bits.'

The Bhikkhus who were followers of Mettiya and Bhummajaka replied: 'We got nothing at all, Sirs; just an ordinary gift such as they could manage, scraps of food, and sour gruel with it.'

6. Now at that time a certain householder, possessed of good food^[16], used to give a perpetual alms to the Saṃgha, a meal for four Bhikkhus. He with his wife and children used to stand at the place of alms and serve; and offer to some Bhikkhus boiled rice, and to some congey, and to some oil, and to some dainty bits.

Now at that time the meal for the Bhikkhus who were followers of Mettiya and Bhummajaka had been fixed for the morrow at the house of this prosperous

householder. 'And the prosperous householder went to the Ārāma for some business or other, and went up to the place where the venerable Dabba the Mallian was. And when he had come there, he saluted the venerable Dabba the Mallian, and took his seat on one side. And him so seated did the venerable Dabba instruct, and arouse, and gladden, and incite with religious discourse.

And when the prosperous householder had thus been instructed, and aroused, and gladdened, and incited by the venerable Dabba the Mallian with religious discourse, he said to the venerable Dabba the Mallian: 'For whom, Sir, has the meal been appointed to-morrow at our house?'

'The meal has been appointed, my friend, at your house to-morrow for those Bhikkhus who are followers of Mettiya and Bhummajaka.'

Then the prosperous householder was ill-pleased, thinking, 'How can bad Bhikkhus enjoy themselves at our house?' And going home he gave command to the slave-girl: 'For those who come to-morrow for the meal, spread out the mats in the entrance hall^[17], and serve them with scraps of food,, and with sour gruel with it!'

'Even so, Sir!' said the slave-girl, accepting the word of the householder.

7. Then the Bhikkhus who were followers of Mettiya and Bhummajaka spake one to another: 'Yesterday a meal has been appointed for us at the house of the prosperous householder. To-morrow he, with his wife and children, will attend upon us at the place of alms, and serve us. And he will offer to some of us boiled rice, and to some congey, and to some oil, and to some dainty bits. And through joy thereat they slept uneasily that night.

Then the Bhikkhus who were followers of Mettiya and Bhummajaka, having robed themselves in the early morning, went duly bowled and robed to the dwelling-place of the prosperous householder. And that slave-girl saw the Bhikkhus who were followers of Mettiya and Bhummajaka approaching from afar; and spreading out the mats in the entrance hall, she said to them, 'Be seated, Sirs.'

And the Bhikkhus who were followers of Mettiya and Bhummajaka thought: 'For a certainty the meal cannot yet be ready, since we are told to take our seats in the entrance.'

Then the slave-girl coming up with scraps of food, and sour gruel with it, said to them, 'Eat, Sirs!'

'We, sister, are of those for whom perpetual meals are provided.'

'I know, Sirs, that you are so. But only yesterday I received command from the householder that for them who should come to-morrow for the meal I was to spread out the mats in the entrance hall, and serve them with scraps of food, and some gruel with it. Eat, Sirs!'

Then the Bhikkhus who were followers of Mettiya and Bhummajaka thought: 'It was yesterday that the householder, the prosperous one, came to the Ārāma to visit Dabba the Mallian. For a certainty the householder must have been set against us by Dabba the Mallian.' And through sorrow thereat they ate uneasily. And the Bhikkhus who were followers of Mettiya and Bhummajaka, when they had finished their meal, returned from the receipt of alms, went to the Ārāma, and laid aside their bowls and their robes, and sat down outside the porch of the Ārāma, squatting against their waist cloths^[18], silent, and ashamed, with fallen hearts^[19], and sunken faces, moody, and bewildered^[20].

8. Now the Bhikkhunī Mettiyā came up to the place where the Bhikkhus who were followers of Mettiya and Bhummajaka were: and when she had come there she said to them: 'My salutation to you, Sirs^[21]!'

When she had so said the Bhikkhus who were followers of Mettiya and Bhummajaka did not speak to her. So a second time she said to them: 'My salutation to you, Sirs!' and they did not speak. And a third time she said to them: 'My salutation to you, Sirs!' Still the third time the Bhikkhus who were followers of Mettiya and Bhummajaka did not speak. And she said: 'Wherein have I offended you, Sirs? Wherefore do you not speak to me?'

'Are you then so indifferent^[22], sister, when we are tormented by Dabba the Mallian?'

'But what can I do, Sirs?'

'If you like, sister, you could this very day make the Blessed One expel the venerable Dabba the Mallian.'

'But what shall I do, Sirs? What is it that it is in my power to do?'

'Come now, sister; do you go to the place where the Blessed One is, and when you have come there say as follows: "This, Lord, is neither fit nor proper that the very quarter of the heavens which should be safe, secure, and free from danger, that from that very quarter should come danger, calamity, and distress—that where one might expect a calm, one should meet a gale. Methinks the very water has taken fire. I have been defiled, Lord, by Dabba the Mallian!'

'Very well, Sirs!' said the Bhikkhunī Mettiyā, accepting the word of the followers of Mettiya and Bhummajaka. And she went to the Blessed One [and spake even as she had been directed].

9. Then the Blessed One, on that occasion and in that connection, convened a meeting of the Saṃgha, and asked the venerable Dabba the Mallian:

'Are you conscious^[23], Dabba, of having done such a thing as this Bhikkhunī says?'

'Even as my Lord, the Blessed One, knows me.' [And a second and a third time the Blessed One asked the same question, and received the same reply.]

Then said the Blessed One: 'The Dabbas, O Dabba, do not thus repudiate^[24]. If you have done it, say so. If you have not done it, say you have not.'

'Since I was born, Lord, I cannot call to mind^[25] that I have practised sexual intercourse even in a dream, much less when I was awake!'

And the Blessed One addressed the Bhikkhus, and said: 'Expel then, O Bhikkhus, the Bhikkhunī Mettiyā, and examine those Bhikkhus about it.' And so saying he rose from his seat and entered into the Vihāra.

Then those Bhikkhus expelled the Bhikkhunī Mettiyā. But the Bhikkhus who were followers of Mettiya and Bhummajaka said to those Bhikkhus: 'Do not, Sirs, expel the Bhikkhunī Mettiyā. She has not committed any offence. She has been set on by us with angry and bitter intentions of causing his fall.'

'What then, Sirs? is it you who are thus harassing the venerable Dabba the Mallian with a groundless charge and breach of morality?'

'That is true, Sirs.'

Then those Bhikkhus who were moderate were indignant and annoyed and complained, saying, 'How can these Bhikkhus the followers of Mettiya and Bhummajaka harass the venerable Dabba the Mallian with a groundless charge of breach of morality?' And they told the matter to the Blessed One.

'Is this true, O Bhikkhus?'

'It is true, Lord.'

Then he rebuked them, and when he had delivered a religious discourse, he addressed the Bhikkhus, and said:

Let then the Saṃgha grant to Dabba the Mallian, whose conscience in respect of this matter is quite clear, the Proceeding for the consciously innocent^[26].

10. 'And thus, O Bhikkhus, is it to be granted.

'Let that Dabba the Mallian go before the Saṃgha, and having arranged his robe over one shoulder, let him bow down at the feet of the senior Bhikkhus; and crouching down^[27], let him stretch forth his hands with the palms joined together, and let him say, "These Bhikkhus, Sirs, the followers of Mettiya and Bhummajaka, are harassing me by a groundless charge of breach of morality. But I, Sirs, in respect thereof have a clear conscience, and I ask the Saṃgha for the acquittal to be accorded to those who are conscious of innocence." Then some able and discreet Bhikkhu is thus to lay the resolution (ñatti) before the Saṃgha. "Let the venerable Saṃgha hear me. These Bhikkhus, Sirs, the followers of Mettiya and Bhummajaka, are harassing the venerable Dabba the Mallian with a groundless charge of a breach of morality, and the venerable Dabba the Mallian has in respect thereof a conscience that is clear, and asks the Saṃgha for the acquittal of those who are conscious of innocence. If the time is convenient to the Saṃgha, let the Saṃgha accord to the venerable Dabba the Mallian the acquittal of those who are conscious of innocence. This is the resolution. Let the venerable Saṃgha hear me. These Bhikkhus (&c., as before, down to) asks the Saṃgha for the acquittal of those who are conscious of innocence. The Saṃgha accords to the venerable Dabba the Mallian the acquittal of those who are consciously innocent. Whosoever of the venerable ones approves of the grant to Dabba the Mallian of the acquittal of those who are conscious of innocence, let him keep silence, Whosoever approves not thereof, let him speak. And a second time I say the same thing. And a third time I say the same thing. Let the venerable Saṃgha hear me. These Bhikkhus (&c., as before, down to) let him speak. The acquittal of those who are conscious of innocence has been granted by the Saṃgha to Dabba the Mallian. The Saṃgha approves thereof. Therefore is it silent. Thus do I understand^[28]."'

11. 'There are five things which make a grant of acquittal to those who are conscious of innocence to be according to law. The Bhikkhu must be innocent and without offence, others must have censured him, he must ask the Saṃgha for acquittal as being conscious of innocence, the Saṃgha must grant it, the Saṃgha must be duly held and duly constituted. These, O Bhikkhus, are the five things which make a grant of the acquittal of those who are conscious of innocence to be according to law.'

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

The whole of the following story of Dabba down to the end of section 9 (except the last sentence) recurs in the Sutta-vibhaṅga as the Introductory Story to the Eighth Saṃghādisesa. The Samanta Pāsādikā has therefore no commentary upon it here, and the few extracts that we give from it are taken from the notes of that work on the corresponding passage in the Sutta-vibhaṅga. The stupidity of Udāyi, who once supplanted Dabba the Mallian in the performance of his duty as bhattuddesaka, forms the burthen of the Introductory Story to the Jātaka on 'the Measure of Rice' (No. 5 in the Jātaka book; 'Buddhist Birth Stories,' pp. 172 and following).

[2]:

On this phrase compare Mahāvagga V, 1, 21, and the verses at V, 1, 27.

[3]:

Jhāyino possibly used with the technical connotation of, being addicted to the practice of the Four Jhāna meditations; but compare Mahāvagga I, 1, 3, 5, 7.

[4]:

See the comment as quoted by H.O.

[5]:

Compare the use of tejodhātuṃ samāpajjitvā at Mahāvagga I, 15, 4.

[6]:

Compare api ssu at Cullavagga I, 9, 1.

[7]:

That paribhojaniyaṃ does not mean drinking-water, as Childers renders it, is clear from VIII, 1, 2, where it is implied that it is to be used for washing feet. Our translation of Mahāvagga II, 20, 5 should be corrected accordingly.

[8]:

Compare below, VIII, 6, 3.

[9]:

Katika-saṇṭhānaṃ. Compare Jātaka I, 81, and Mahāvagga VIII, 32, and Cullavagga VIII, 1, 2.

[10]:

That this is the correct rendering of this otherwise doubtful passage is clear from the closing words of VIII, 1, 2, where most of these phrases recur. In the text, for the last word nikkhipitabbaṃ read nikkhamitabbaṃ, as pointed out in the note at p. 363 of the edition of the text.

[11]:

These were two of the six leaders of the notorious Chabbaggiya Bhikkhus.

[12]:

Compare the 22nd Nissaggiya.

[13]:

Abhisaṃkhārikaṃ; that is, a gift by the giving of which the donor expressly wished that a particular result (as, for stance, that the donor should be re-born as a king or queen, or should enter the paths, or have opportunity to hear a Buddha preach) should be brought about by the normal effect of that good act in a future birth. There are not a few instances of such wishes, and of their fulfilment, recorded in various parts of the sacred literature.

[14]:

Uttaribhaṅgam. See the passages quoted in the note on Mahāvagga VI, 14, 3. These three things are also mentioned together at VIII, 4, 4.

[15]:

These expressions recur at Jātaka I, 228. The Samanta Pāsādikā says merely caṇāgakan ti sakuntaka-bhattaṃ. Bilaṅgadutiyan ti cañjika-dutiyaṃ.

[16]:

The Samanta Pāsādikā says simply kalyāṇaṃ bhattaṃ assā ti kalyāṇa-bhattiko.

[17]:

Koṭṭhake, which means the battlemented gateway which formed the entrance to an important house; and in which there was a room. See Jātaka I, 227.

[18]:

Saṃghāṭi-pallatthikāya. There is a misprint in the text (°ttikāya). On this curious expression, see below, V, 28, 2.

[19]:

Pattakkhandhā, which the Samanta Pāsādikā explains by patitakkhandhā. Khandhā here seems to mean 'faculties.' Compare the use of Dhammā in a similar connection at Mahā-parinibbāna Sutta II, 32 = Mahāvagga V, 13, 9; and see Buddhaghosa's commentary on that passage, quoted by Rh. D. in 'Buddhist Suttas from the Pāli,' p. 36.

[20]:

Appaṭibhānā. Paṭibhānaṃ is the rapid suggestion of an idea in a case of doubt or difficulty, an illumination; so that paṭibhānako, the man of ready wit, may be compared with upāya-kusalo, the man fertile in resource. 'Absent-minded' would be an incorrect rendering; they had no idea what to think or do, and the appearance of the nun on the scene (in the next paragraph) supplied the want. Till then they hesitated, drifted.

[21]:

The following narrative, down to § 9, is repeated almost word for word in V, 20, only that the person there persuaded to bring the false accusation is different.

[22]:

Ajjhupekkhati. Compare Jātaka I, 147.

[23]:

Literally, 'Do you recollect?' But it is quite clear from the technical words at the close of this section that the verb sarati had already acquired the secondary meaning 'to be conscious of.' The whole story is peculiarly valuable as illustrating the growth of the connotation of the verb and its allied meanings, and indirectly the origin and growth of the idea of 'conscience' which has played so great a part in theological and ethical speculation.

[24]:

That is, 'Men of character and standing such as yours, O Dabba, are not in the habit of repudiating a charge in so indirect a manner by adverting merely to their standing and known character.'

[25]:

Here the word used is abhijānāmi.

[26]:

Dabbassa sati-vepulla-ppattassa sati-vinayaṃ detu. The explanation of the compound sati-vepulla-ppatto given by Childers, though it rests on so good an authority as that of Vijesiṃha Mudaliar, cannot be right. He makes it mean 'a man of great intellectual development.' But sati must here refer to the fact that Dabba has been formally called upon to remember (sarīto) whether he did or did not commit the offence. And though the exact sense of the compound is subject to some doubt, the general sense of the clause must be very much as we have conjecturally rendered it. On this formal appeal to the conscience, or memory (sati), of a Bhikkhu charged with an offence, or supposed to have offended, see Cullavagga I, 2, and 5 at the end; and X, 20.

[27]:

Ukkuṭikaṃ nisīditvā. This verb does not mean 'to sit on the hams,' as rendered by Childers. The exact posture, unknown in Europe, is to crouch down on the feet (keeping both toes and heels on the ground) in such a way that the hams do not touch the ground, but come within an inch or two of it. Europeans find it very difficult to retain this posture for any length of time, but the natives of India find it easy, and it is regarded in the Piṭakas as a posture of humility.

[28]:

This section is repeated below, chap. 14, § 27, with the necessary alterations for a general rule instead of a particular case.