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to the dwelling of the rich man, the householder. Having approached, he sat down on the seat prepared. Then the mother of the venerable Yasa and his former wife approached the Blessed One. Having approached, they saluted the Blessed One and sat down to one side. To them the Blessed One gave a gradual discourse, that is, a discourse on giving, a discourse on morality, a discourse on heaven; he explained the danger, the degradation, the defilement of sensual pleasures, and the benefit of renunciation. When the Blessed One knew that their minds were ready, pliant, free from hindrances, uplifted, and confident, then he expounded the teaching peculiar to the Buddhas: suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path. Just as a clean cloth, free from stains, would perfectly absorb the dye, even so, on that very seat, the stainless, undefiled Eye of Dhamma arose in them: "Whatever is of the nature to arise, all that is of the nature to cease." to the Dhamma. They had seen the Dhamma, attained the Dhamma, understood the Dhamma, penetrated the Dhamma, crossed over doubt, dispelled perplexity, gained confidence, and were independent of others in the Teacher's Dispensation. They said to the Blessed One: "Excellent, Venerable Sir! Excellent, Venerable Sir! ... We, Venerable Sir, go for refuge to the Blessed One, to the Dhamma, and to the Bhikkhu Saṅgha. May the Blessed One remember us as laywomen who have gone for refuge from this day forth, as long as life lasts." And they were the first laywomen in the world to take the triple refuge. Then, the mother, father, and former wife of Venerable Yasa personally served and satisfied the Blessed One and Venerable Yasa with excellent hard and soft food. When the Blessed One had eaten and removed his hand from the bowl, they sat down to one side. Then the Blessed One instructed, inspired, encouraged, and gladdened the mother, father, and former wife of Venerable Yasa with a Dhamma talk. He then rose from his seat and departed. 30. Now, four householder friends of Venerable Yasa, sons of leading and prominent families in Bārāṇasī— Vimala, Subāhu, Puṇṇaji, and Gavampati— heard that the noble son Yasa had shaved off his hair and beard, donned saffron robes, and gone forth from home to homelessness. Having heard this, they thought: "Surely that Dhamma and Discipline is not ordinary, that going forth is not ordinary, where the noble son Yasa has shaved off his hair and beard, donned saffron robes, and gone forth from home to homelessness." They went to Venerable Yasa, and having approached, they greeted Venerable Yasa and stood to one side. Then Venerable Yasa took these four householder friends and went to the Blessed One. Having approached, he greeted the Blessed One and sat down to one side. Seated to one side, Venerable Yasa said to the Blessed One: "Venerable Sir, these are my four householder friends, sons of leading families in Bārāṇasī—" The sons of wealthy householders— Vimala, Subāhu, Puṇṇaji, Gavampati. "May the Blessed One admonish and instruct them!" Then the Blessed One gave them a gradual discourse, that is, a talk on giving, a talk on morality, a talk on heaven, the danger, the degradation, the defilement of sensual pleasures, and the benefit of renunciation. When the Blessed One knew their minds to be ready, pliant, free from hindrances, uplifted, and confident, then he revealed the teaching peculiar to Buddhas: suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path. Just as a clean cloth, free from stains, would perfectly absorb the dye, even so, in that very seat, there arose in them the dust-free, stainless Eye of Dhamma: "Whatever is of an origin nature, all that is of a cessation nature." Having seen the Dhamma, attained the Dhamma, understood the Dhamma, penetrated the Dhamma, having crossed over doubt, having dispelled perplexity, having gained confidence, being independent of others in the Teacher's Dispensation, they said to the Blessed One: "May we receive, Lord, the going forth in the Blessed One's presence, may we receive the full ordination!" "Come, bhikkhus!" the Blessed One said, "The Dhamma is well proclaimed; lead the holy life for the complete ending of suffering." That was the full ordination for those venerable ones. Then the Blessed One admonished and instructed those bhikkhus with a Dhamma talk. As they were being admonished and instructed by the Blessed One with a Dhamma talk, their minds were liberated from the taints without clinging. At that time, there were eleven Arahants in the world. The going forth of the four householder friends is finished. 31. Now fifty householder friends of the Venerable Yasa, sons of successively prominent families from the countryside, heard: "Indeed, the noble son Yasa has shaved off his hair and beard, put on saffron robes, and gone forth from home into homelessness." Having heard this, it occurred to them: "Surely that Dhamma and Discipline is not ordinary, that going forth is not ordinary, “Ah, there Yasa, the noble son, having shaved off his hair and beard, having put on saffron robes, has gone forth from home to homelessness!” They approached the venerable Yasa, and having approached, having saluted the venerable Yasa, they stood to one side. Then the venerable Yasa, taking those fifty lay friends, approached the Blessed One, and having approached, having saluted the Blessed One, he sat down to one side. Sitting to one side, the venerable Yasa said to the Blessed One: “These, Bhante, are my fifty lay friends, countrymen, sons of ancient families. May the Blessed One instruct and admonish them!” To them the Blessed One gave a progressive discourse, that is, a discourse on giving, a discourse on morality, a discourse on heaven, he explained the danger, the degradation, the defilement of sensual pleasures, and the advantage of renunciation. When the Blessed One knew that their minds were ready, pliant, free from hindrances, uplifted, and confident, then he expounded the special teaching of the Buddhas: suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path. Just as a clean cloth, free from stains, would perfectly absorb dye, even so, right there on that seat, the dust-free, stain-free Eye of Dhamma arose in them: “Whatever is of the nature to arise, all that is of the nature to cease.” They, having seen the Dhamma, having attained the Dhamma, having understood the Dhamma, having penetrated the Dhamma, having crossed over doubt, having dispelled perplexity, having gained confidence, being independent of others in the Teacher’s Dispensation, said to the Blessed One: “May we, Bhante, receive the going forth in the presence of the Blessed One, may we receive the full ordination!” “Come, monks!” the Blessed One said, “The Dhamma is well-proclaimed; lead the holy life for the complete ending of suffering.” That was the full ordination for those venerable ones. Then the Blessed One instructed and admonished those monks with a Dhamma talk. While they were being instructed and admonished by the Blessed One with a Dhamma talk, their minds, without clinging, were liberated from defilements. Their minds were freed from the defilements. At that time, there were sixty-one Arahants in the world. The ordination of the fifty householder companions is finished. And the discourse on ordination is finished. 8. The Discourse on Māra 32. Then the Blessed One addressed those bhikkhus: "I am freed, bhikkhus, from all snares, both divine and human. You too, bhikkhus, are freed from all snares, both divine and human. Go forth, bhikkhus, on tour for the welfare of the many, for the happiness of the many, out of compassion for the world, for the good, for the benefit, for the happiness of gods and humans. Let not two of you go by one path. Teach, bhikkhus, the Dhamma that is good in the beginning, good in the middle, good in the end, with meaning and with letter, entirely complete and pure, proclaim the holy life. There are beings with little dust in their eyes; they are perishing through not hearing the Dhamma; there will be those who will understand the Dhamma. I too, bhikkhus, will go to Uruvelā, the army town, to teach the Dhamma." 33. Then Māra the Evil One approached the Blessed One, and having approached, he addressed the Blessed One with a verse: "You are bound by all snares, both divine and human; You are bound by a great bond, ascetic, you will not escape me." "I am freed from all snares, both divine and human; I am freed from the great bond, you are defeated, O Ender." "The snare that moves in the sky, that which moves in the mind; With that I will bind you, ascetic, you will not escape me." "Forms, sounds, tastes, smells, and delightful touches; My desire for these is gone, you are defeated, O Ender." Then Māra the Evil One, (thinking) "The Blessed One knows me, the Fortunate One knows me," sorrowful and dejected, vanished right there. The Discourse on Māra is finished. 9. The Discourse on Ordination and Higher Ordination 34. At that time, bhikkhus from various directions... From various districts, they bring those seeking ordination and those seeking full admission, thinking: "The Blessed One will ordain them, will give them full admission." There, the bhikkhus grow weary, and those seeking ordination, and those seeking full admission, also grow weary. Then, as the Blessed One was in seclusion, reflecting, this thought arose in his mind: "Now, bhikkhus from various directions, from various districts, bring those seeking ordination and those seeking full admission, thinking: 'The Blessed One will ordain them, will give them full admission.' There, the bhikkhus grow weary, and those seeking ordination, and those seeking full admission, also grow weary. What if I were to allow the bhikkhus to ordain and give full admission themselves, now, bhikkhus, in those various directions, in those various districts?" Then, the Blessed One, rising from seclusion in the evening, on this occasion, on this matter,