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My relatives, relying on me, will give gifts, will do meritorious deeds, and the monks will receive gain, and I myself will not be troubled for alms-food." Then the Venerable Sudinna, having put his lodging in order, and taking his bowl and robe, departed for Vesālī. In due course, he arrived at Vesālī. There, indeed, the Venerable Sudinna lived in Vesālī, in the Great Wood, in the Hall with the Pointed Roof. The relatives of the Venerable Sudinna heard: "Sudinna, the son of Kalandaka, has arrived in Vesālī." They, for the Venerable Sudinna, about sixty pots of rice, brought as an offering of food. Then the Venerable Sudinna, having distributed those sixty pots of rice to the monks, and having dressed in the forenoon, and taking his bowl and robe, entered Kalandaka village for alms. Walking for alms, house to house, in Kalandaka village, he approached his own father's dwelling. 31. Now at that time, a female relative-slave of the Venerable Sudinna was about to throw away some stale gruel. Then indeed, the venerable Sudinna said to that relative-slave girl: "If, sister, it is something to be discarded, pour it into my bowl here." Then indeed, the relative-slave girl of the venerable Sudinna, as she poured that evening gruel into the venerable Sudinna's bowl, took note of his hands, his feet, and his voice. Then indeed, the relative-slave girl of the venerable Sudinna approached where the venerable Sudinna's mother was; having approached, she said to the venerable Sudinna's mother: "Please, mother, know this: Master Sudinna has arrived." "If, my dear, you speak the truth, I will make you a free woman." 32. Now at that time, the venerable Sudinna was eating that evening gruel leaning against a certain wall. And the father of the venerable Sudinna, coming from his work, saw the venerable Sudinna eating that evening gruel leaning against a certain wall. Having seen him, he approached where the venerable Sudinna was; having approached, he said to the venerable Sudinna: "Is it possible, my dear Sudinna, that you would eat evening gruel? Should you not, my dear Sudinna, go to your own home?" "Indeed, householder, we went to your home. From there is this evening gruel." Then indeed, the father of the venerable Sudinna, taking the venerable Sudinna by the arm, said to the venerable Sudinna: "Come, my dear S..." "Sudinna, we will go home." Then indeed, the venerable Sudinna approached his father's dwelling; having approached, he sat down on the seat prepared. Then indeed, the venerable Sudinna's father said this to the venerable Sudinna – "Eat, dear Sudinna." "Enough, householder, my meal for today is done." "Accept, dear Sudinna, a meal for tomorrow." Indeed, the venerable Sudinna accepted by his silence. Then indeed, the venerable Sudinna rose from his seat and departed. 33. Then indeed, the venerable Sudinna's mother, after the passing of that night, had the ground swept with fresh cow-dung, and had two heaps made – one of silver, one of gold. So great were these heaps, that a man standing on this side could not see a man standing on the other side; a man standing on the other side could not see a man standing on this side. Having had these heaps covered with mats, and a seat prepared in the middle, and a screen placed around, she addressed the venerable Sudinna's former wife – "Come then, daughter-in-law, adorn yourself with the ornaments with which you were adorned when you were dear and pleasing to my son Sudinna." "Yes, lady," indeed, the venerable Sudinna's former wife replied to the venerable Sudinna's mother. 34. Then indeed, the venerable Sudinna, having dressed in the morning, and taking his bowl and robe, approached his father's dwelling; having approached, He sat down on the prepared seat. Then indeed, the venerable Sudinna's father approached where the venerable Sudinna was; having approached, and having had those piles opened, he said this to the venerable Sudinna: "This, dear Sudinna, is your mother's portion, a woman's dowry, other paternal wealth, other grandfather's wealth. It is possible, dear Sudinna, having returned to a lower state, to enjoy wealth and to do meritorious deeds. Come, dear Sudinna, having returned to a lower state, enjoy wealth and do meritorious deeds." "Father, I am not able, I cannot bear it, I delight in living the holy life." A second time indeed, the venerable Sudinna's father said this to the venerable Sudinna: "This, dear Sudinna, is your mother's portion, a woman's dowry, other paternal wealth, other grandfather's wealth. It is possible, dear Sudinna, having returned to a lower state, to enjoy wealth and to do meritorious deeds. Come, dear Sudinna, having returned to a lower state, enjoy wealth and do meritorious deeds." A third time indeed, the venerable Sudinna's father said this to the venerable Sudinna: "This, dear Sudinna, is your mother's portion, a woman's dowry, other paternal wealth, other grandfather's wealth. It is possible, dear Sudinna, having returned to a lower state, to enjoy wealth and to do meritorious deeds. Come, dear Sudinna, having returned to a lower state, enjoy wealth and do meritorious deeds." "We would tell you indeed, householder, if you would not press me too much." "Tell me, dear Sudinna." "In that case, householder, have large, large hemp sacks made, have them filled with gold and silver, have them carried away by carts, and throw them into the middle of the Ganges current. For what reason is that? For whatever fear, or terror, or goosebumps, or need for guarding will arise for you from that, householder, that will not be for you." will be! When this was said, the venerable Sudinna's father was displeased – "How indeed could my son Sudinna speak thus!" 35. Then the venerable Sudinna's father addressed the venerable Sudinna's former wife – "Go then, daughter-in-law, you are dear and pleasing to him. Perhaps my son Sudinna will heed your words too!" Then the venerable Sudinna's former wife, taking the venerable Sudinna by the feet, said this to the venerable Sudinna – "What kind of nymphs are they, my lord, for whose sake you lead the holy life?" "Indeed, sister, I do not lead the holy life for the sake of nymphs." Then the venerable Sudinna's former wife – "From today, my lord Sudinna addresses me as 'sister'!" right there she fainted and fell down. Then the venerable Sudinna said this to his father – "If, householder, food is to be given, give it, do not trouble us." "Eat, dear Sudinna." Then the venerable Sudinna's mother and father with choice hard and soft foods personally satisfied and served the venerable Sudinna. Then the venerable Sudinna's mother said this to the venerable Sudinna, who had eaten and removed his hand from the bowl – "This family, dear Sudinna, is rich, of great wealth, of great possessions, with abundant gold and silver, with abundant goods and implements, with abundant grain and wealth." ṃ. “It is possible, dear Sudinna, to return to a lower state, to enjoy wealth, and to perform meritorious deeds. Come, dear Sudinna, return to a lower state, enjoy wealth, and perform meritorious deeds.” “Mother, I am unable, I cannot endure it, I delight in living the holy life.” A second time… A third time, the mother of Venerable Sudinna said this to Venerable Sudinna: “This family, dear Sudinna, is rich, of great wealth, of great possessions, with much gold and silver, with many resources and implements, with much grain and provisions. Therefore, dear Sudinna, at least give us a seed – lest the Licchavis carry away our property, we being without a son.” “That, mother, I can do.” “Where, then, dear Sudinna, do you reside now?” “In the Great Wood, mother.” Then Venerable Sudinna rose from his seat and departed. 36. Then the mother of Venerable Sudinna addressed Venerable Sudinna’s former wife: “Well then, daughter-in-law, when you are in season, when your flower has appeared, then you should inform me.” “Yes, lady,” Venerable Sudinna’s former wife replied to Venerable Sudinna’s mother. Then Venerable Sudinna’s former wife soon became in season, her flower appeared. Then Venerable Sudinna’s former wife said this to Venerable Sudinna’s mother: "I am in season, lady, my flower has appeared." "Then, daughter-in-law, adorn yourself with the ornaments with which you were dear and pleasing to Sudinna, my son." "Yes, lady," the former wife of Venerable Sudinna replied to Venerable Sudinna's mother. Then Venerable Sudinna's mother, taking Venerable Sudinna's former wife, went to the Great Wood, to where Venerable Sudinna was; having approached, she said to Venerable Sudinna: "This family, dear Sudinna, is rich, of great wealth, of great possessions, with much gold and silver, with many resources, with much grain and provisions. It is possible, dear Sudinna, to return to a lower state, to enjoy possessions and to do meritorious deeds. Come, dear Sudinna, return to a lower state, enjoy possessions and do meritorious deeds." "Mother, I am not able, I cannot bear it, I delight in living the holy life." A second time... and a third time Venerable Sudinna's mother said to Venerable Sudinna: "This family, dear Sudinna, is rich, of great wealth, of great possessions, with much gold and silver, with many resources, with much grain and provisions. Therefore, dear Sudinna, at least give us a seed – lest the Licchavis carry away our heirless property." "This, mother, I can do," and taking his former wife by the arm, he entered the Great Wood, there being no fault in a precept not yet laid down. He, with his former wife, three times engaged in sexual intercourse. She by that conceived a child. The Earth deities made their voices heard: "Indeed, friends, the Sangha of bhikkhus is free from tumors, free from defects; by Sudinna, the Kalandaka's son, a tumor has been produced, a defect has been produced." Having heard the voice of the Earth deities, the Four Great Kings' deities made their voices heard... ...