English
‘And if I might understand the Dhamma of that Blessed One!’ This, venerable sir, was my fifth aspiration, and now it is fulfilled for me. Formerly, venerable sir, when I was a prince, these five aspirations were mine, and now they are fulfilled for me. Excellent, venerable sir! Excellent, venerable sir! Just as, venerable sir, one might set upright what was overturned, or reveal what was hidden, or show the way to one who was lost, or hold up a lamp in the darkness so that those with eyes might see forms – even so has the Dhamma been made clear by the Blessed One in many ways. I go for refuge, venerable sir, to the Blessed One, to the Dhamma, and to the Sangha of bhikkhus. May the Blessed One remember me as a lay follower, who has gone for refuge from this day forth as long as life lasts. And may the Blessed One, venerable sir, consent to accept from me a meal for tomorrow, together with the Sangha of bhikkhus. The Blessed One consented by his silence. Then King Seniya Bimbisāra of Magadha, knowing the Blessed One's consent, rose from his seat, paid homage to the Blessed One, circumambulated him respectfully, and departed. Then King Seniya Bimbisāra of Magadha, when that night had passed, had exquisite hard and soft food prepared, and announced the time to the Blessed One: “It is time, venerable sir, the meal is ready.” 58. Then the Blessed One p In the morning, having dressed, taking his bowl and robe, he entered Rājagaha with a great community of monks, a thousand monks, all of them former ascetics. Now at that time, Sakka, king of devas, having created the appearance of a young man, went before the community of monks, with the Buddha at its head, chanting these verses: "The tamed one, with the tamed, the former ascetics, the liberated one, with the liberated; of the color of pure gold, the Blessed One entered Rājagaha. "The freed one, with the freed, the former ascetics, the liberated one, with the liberated; of the color of pure gold, the Blessed One entered Rājagaha. "The crossed over one, with the crossed over, the former ascetics; the liberated one, with the liberated; of the color of pure gold; the Blessed One entered Rājagaha. "The peaceful one, with the peaceful, the former ascetics; the liberated one, with the liberated; of the color of pure gold; the Blessed One entered Rājagaha. "He who has ten abodes, ten powers, who knows the ten doctrines, endowed with ten; that Blessed One, surrounded by a thousand, entered Rājagaha." The people, seeing Sakka, king of devas, said this: "How handsome this young man is! How delightful this young man is! How charming this young man is! Whose young man is this?" When this was said, Sakka, king of devas, addressed those people with a verse: "He who is wise, tamed in all ways, pure, unequalled; the Arahant, the Fortunate One in the world, I am his attendant." Then the Blessed One approached the dwelling of King Seniya Bimbisāra of Magadha, and having approached, he sat down on the prepared seat, with the community of monks. Then King Seniya Bimbisāra of Magadha, having personally satisfied and served the community of monks, with the Buddha at its head, with exquisite hard and soft food, sat down to one side, when the Blessed One had eaten and removed his hand from the bowl. As King Seniya Bimbisāra of Magadha was sitting to one side, it occurred to him: "Where now might the Blessed One reside? Which would be not too far from the village, nor too near, easy of access, frequented by people who wish to come, not crowded by day, quiet by night, with little sound, with little noise, secluded from people, suitable for retreat." Then it occurred to King Seniya Bimbisāra of Magadha: "Indeed, this Bamboo Grove, our park, is not too far from the village, nor too near, easy of access, frequented by people who wish to come, not crowded by day, quiet by night, with little sound, with little noise, secluded from people, suitable for retreat. What if I were to give this Bamboo Grove, this park, to the community of bhikkhus, with the Buddha at its head?" Then King Seniya Bimbisāra of Magadha, taking a golden water-pot, offered it to the Blessed One: "I give this Bamboo Grove, this park, to the community of bhikkhus, with the Buddha at its head, venerable sir." The Blessed One accepted the park. Then the Blessed One, having instructed, incited, encouraged, and gladdened King Seniya Bimbisāra of Magadha with a Dhamma talk, rose from his seat and departed. Then the Blessed One, on account of this incident, on account of this matter, having given a Dhamma talk, addressed the bhikkhus: "I allow, bhikkhus, a park." The discourse on the meeting with Bimbisāra is concluded. 14. The discourse on Sāriputta and Moggallāna's going forth. Now at that time, Sañcaya the wanderer was residing in Rājagaha with a large company of wanderers, with two hundred and fifty wanderers. Now at that time, Sāriputta and Moggallāna were leading the holy life under Sañcaya the wanderer. They had made an agreement: "Whoever first attains the Deathless, he should inform the other." Then the Venerable Assaji, in the forenoon, Having put on his robes, and taking his bowl and outer robe, he entered Rājagaha for alms. With graceful advancing and retreating, with graceful looking forward and looking around, with graceful bending and stretching, with downcast eyes, perfect in his deportment. Now the wanderer Sāriputta saw the venerable Assaji walking for alms in Rājagaha, with graceful advancing and retreating, with graceful looking forward and looking around, with graceful bending and stretching, with downcast eyes, perfect in his deportment. Seeing him, it occurred to him: "Surely, among those in the world who are Arahants or have entered the path to Arahantship, this monk is one of them. What if I were to approach this monk and ask him: 'For whose sake, friend, have you gone forth? Who is your teacher? Whose Dhamma do you approve of?'" Then it occurred to the wanderer Sāriputta: "It is not the right time to question this monk; he has entered among the houses, walking for alms. What if I were to follow this monk from behind, the path known to those who seek?" Then the venerable Assaji, having walked for alms in Rājagaha, and having taken his alms-food, returned. Then the wanderer Sāriputta approached the venerable Assaji. Having approached, he exchanged greetings with the venerable Assaji. Having exchanged courteous and memorable talk, he stood to one side. Standing to one side, the wanderer Sāriputta spoke to the venerable Assaji: "Your faculties, friend, are clear; your skin color is pure and bright. For whose sake, friend, have you gone forth? Who is your teacher? Whose Dhamma do you approve of?" "There is, friend, the Great Ascetic, a Sakyan son, who has gone forth from the Sakya clan. I have gone forth for the sake of that Blessed One. That Blessed One is my teacher. And I approve of the Dhamma of that Blessed One." "What does your teacher proclaim, friend? What does he teach?" "I, friend, am new, recently gone forth, only recently come to this Dhamma and Discipline. I cannot "I am able to teach the Dhamma at length, but I will tell you the meaning in brief." Then the wanderer Sāriputta said to the venerable Assaji: "So be it, friend – Speak little or much, Just tell me the meaning; My concern is with the meaning, What will you do with many words?" Then the venerable Assaji spoke this Dhamma exposition to the wanderer Sāriputta – Whatever phenomena arise from a cause, Their cause the Tathāgata has declared; And their cessation, Thus teaches the Great Ascetic. Then, having heard this Dhamma exposition, the wanderer Sāriputta's stainless, spotless Eye of Dhamma arose – "Whatever is of the nature to arise, all that is of the nature to cease." This very Dhamma, if only then, You would penetrate the sorrowless state; Unseen, unsurpassed, For many tens of thousands of eons. Then the wanderer Sāriputta approached the wanderer Moggallāna. The wanderer Moggallāna saw the wanderer Sāriputta coming from afar. Seeing the wanderer Sāriputta, he said to him: "Friend, your faculties are very clear, your skin color is pure and bright. Have you, friend, attained the Deathless?" "Yes, friend, I have attained the Deathless." "But how, friend, did you attain the Deathless?" "Here, friend, I saw the monk Assaji walking for alms in Rājagaha, with a pleasing manner of going forward and turning back, of looking and looking around, of bending and stretching, with downcast eyes, perfect in his deportment. Seeing him, I thought: 'Surely, among those in the world who are Arahants or have entered the path to Arahantship, this monk is one of them. What if I were to approach this monk and ask him: 'Friend, for whom did you go forth? Who is your Teacher? Whose Dhamma do you..." 'Whom do you approve of?' Then, friend, this thought occurred to me: 'It is not the right time to question this monk; he has entered the village for alms. What if I were to follow him, along the path known to those who seek?' Then, friend, the monk Assaji, having wandered for alms in Rājagaha, took his alms-food and returned. Then, friend, I approached the monk Assaji. Having approached, I exchanged greetings with the monk Assaji, and after a friendly and courteous conversation, I stood to one side. Standing to one side, friend, I said to the monk Assaji: 'Your faculties, friend, are clear, your complexion is pure and bright. 'Whom, friend, did you go forth for? Who is your teacher? Whose Dhamma do you approve of?' 'There is, friend, the Great Ascetic, the Sakyaputta, gone forth from the Sakya clan. I have gone forth for that Blessed One. That Blessed One is my teacher. And I approve of the Dhamma of that Blessed One.' 'What does your teacher proclaim, friend? What does he teach?' 'I, friend, am new, recently gone forth, just come to this Dhamma and Discipline. I cannot teach the Dhamma in detail.