English
the Fortunate One Vessabhū, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Awakened One, in a certain terrifying forest thicket, admonished and instructed a thousand-strong community of monks, encompassing mind with mind: ‘Think thus, do not think thus; attend thus, do not attend thus; abandon this, abide having entered upon this.’ Then, Sāriputta, for that thousand-strong community of monks, thus admonished and thus instructed by the Fortunate One Vessabhū, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Awakened One, their minds were liberated from the taints, without clinging. There, Sāriputta, in that terrifying forest thicket, there was a terrifying quality – whoever, not free from passion, entered that forest thicket, for the most part, their hairs stood on end. This, Sāriputta, is the reason, this is the cause, why for the Fortunate One Vipassī, and for the Fortunate One Sikhī, and for the Fortunate One Vessabhū, the holy life did not last long. 20. "What, venerable sir, is the reason, what is the cause, that the holy life of the Blessed One Kakusandha, of the Blessed One Koṇāgamana, and of the Blessed One Kassapa, endured for a long time?" "The Blessed One Kakusandha, Sāriputta, the Blessed One Koṇāgamana, and the Blessed One Kassapa were untiring in teaching the Dhamma to their disciples in detail. And for them there was much: discourses, mixed prose and verse, expositions, verses, inspired utterances, 'thus-saids', birth stories, wonderful phenomena, and question-and-answer texts. The training rules were laid down for the disciples, the Pātimokkha was recited. With the disappearance of those Buddhas, the Blessed Ones, and with the disappearance of the disciples enlightened after them, those later disciples, of various names, various clans, various castes, various families, who had gone forth, maintained that holy life for a long, long time. Just as, Sāriputta, various flowers placed on a board, well-strung together with a thread, the wind does not scatter, does not blow away, does not destroy them. For what reason? Because they are well-strung together with a thread. Even so, Sāriputta, with the disappearance of those Buddhas, the Blessed Ones, and with the disappearance of the disciples enlightened after them, those later disciples, of various names, various clans, various castes, various families, who had gone forth, maintained that holy life for a long, long time. This, Sāriputta, is the reason, this is the cause, that the holy life of the Blessed One Kakusandha, of the Blessed One Koṇāgamana, and of the Blessed One Kassapa... the holy life was long-lasting." 21. Then indeed the venerable Sāriputta, rising from his seat, arranging his upper robe over one shoulder, and saluting the Blessed One with joined hands, said this to the Blessed One: "It is time for this, O Blessed One! It is time for this, O Fortunate One! That the Blessed One might lay down a training rule for the disciples, might recite the Pātimokkha, so that this holy life might be long-enduring, long-lasting." "Wait, Sāriputta! Wait, Sāriputta! The Tathāgata himself will know the right time for that. Not yet, Sāriputta, does the Teacher lay down a training rule for the disciples, nor recite the Pātimokkha, until certain defilement-causing things appear in the Saṅgha. But when, Sāriputta, certain defilement-causing things appear in the Saṅgha, then the Teacher lays down a training rule for the disciples, recites the Pātimokkha, for the suppression of those very defilement-causing things. Not yet, Sāriputta, do certain defilement-causing things appear in the Saṅgha, until the Saṅgha has attained seniority and greatness. But when, Sāriputta, the Saṅgha has attained seniority and greatness, then certain defilement-causing things appear in the Saṅgha, then the Teacher lays down a training rule for the disciples, recites the Pātimokkha, for the suppression of those very defilement-causing things. Not yet, Sāriputta, do certain defilement-causing things... Faults appear in the Sangha, until the Sangha has not reached great growth. But when, Sāriputta, the Sangha has reached great growth, then some things that cause defilement appear in the Sangha. Then the Teacher lays down a training rule for the disciples, proclaims the Pātimokkha, for the suppression of those very things that cause defilement. Not yet, Sāriputta, do some things that cause defilement appear in the Sangha, until the Sangha has not reached great gain. But when, Sāriputta, the Sangha has reached great gain, then some things that cause defilement appear in the Sangha. Then the Teacher lays down a training rule for the disciples, proclaims the Pātimokkha, for the suppression of those very things that cause defilement. Not yet, Sāriputta, do some things that cause defilement appear in the Sangha, until the Sangha has not reached great learning. But when, Sāriputta, the Sangha has reached great learning, then some things that cause defilement appear in the Sangha. Then the Teacher lays down a training rule for the disciples, proclaims the Pātimokkha, for the suppression of those very things that cause defilement. Indeed, Sāriputta, the community of bhikkhus is free from tumors, free from fault, free from blemish, pure, established in the essence. Indeed, Sāriputta, among these five hundred bhikkhus, the last bhikkhu is a stream-enterer, not subject to falling, certain of full enlightenment. Nārāyaṇa.” 22. Then the Blessed One addressed Venerable Ānanda: “It is customary, Ānanda, for Tathāgatas, when invited to spend the rains, not to depart on a journey through the country without taking leave of those who invited them. Come, Ānanda, let us take leave of the Verañja brahmin.” “Yes, Bhante,” Venerable Ānanda replied to the Blessed One. Then the Blessed One, having dressed, and taking his bowl and robe, with Venerable Ānanda as his attendant, went to the dwelling of the Verañja brahmin. Having approached, he sat down on the seat prepared. Then the Verañja brahmin approached the Blessed One. Having approached, he saluted the Blessed One and sat down to one side. To the Verañja brahmin, seated to one side, the Blessed One said this: “We were invited by you, brahmin, and have completed the rains. We take leave of you. We wish to depart on a journey through the country.” “It is true, good Gotama, you were invited by me and have completed the rains. But the offering that should have been given was not given. That was not due to its non-existence, nor to an unwillingness to give. But how could it be otherwise? Householders have many duties, many things to do. May the good Gotama consent to accept a meal from me tomorrow together with the Saṅgha of bhikkhus.” The Blessed One consented by his silence. Then the Blessed One, having instructed, roused, encouraged, and gladdened the Verañja brahmin with a Dhamma talk, rose from his seat and departed. Then The Veranja brahmin, after the passing of that night, having had delicious hard and soft food prepared in his own dwelling, had the time announced to the Blessed One – "It is time, good Gotama, the meal is ready." 23. Then indeed the Blessed One, in the forenoon, having dressed, taking his bowl and robe, approached the dwelling of the Veranja brahmin; having approached, he sat down on the seat prepared, together with the community of bhikkhus. Then indeed the Veranja brahmin, having satisfied and served with his own hands the community of bhikkhus headed by the Buddha with delicious hard and soft food, covered the Blessed One, who had eaten and whose hand was removed from the bowl, with a set of three robes, and each and every bhikkhu he covered with a pair of cloths. Then indeed the Blessed One, having instructed, having encouraged, having inspired, having gladdened the Veranja brahmin with a talk on Dhamma, rose from his seat and departed. Then indeed the Blessed One, having stayed in Veranja as long as he wished, without going to Soreyya, Saṅkassa, Kaṇṇakujja, approached Payāgapatiṭṭhāna; having approached, at Payāgapatiṭṭhāna, having crossed the river Gaṅgā, he arrived at Bārāṇasī. Then indeed the Blessed One, having stayed in Bārāṇasī as long as he wished, set out on tour towards Vesālī. Journeying by stages, he arrived at Vesālī. There indeed the Blessed One dwelt in Vesālī, in the Great Wood, in the Gabled Hall. The recitation section on Veranja is finished.