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The Blessed One saw those people looking for a boat, looking for a raft, building a bridge, desiring to go from this shore to the other. Having seen them, just as a strong man might extend a flexed arm, or flex an extended arm, even so, the Blessed One vanished from the near bank of the Ganges river and reappeared on the far bank, together with the community of bhikkhus. Then the Blessed One, understanding this matter, on that occasion uttered this inspired utterance: Those who cross the flood, the sea; Having made a bridge, abandoning the puddles; Indeed, people build a raft; The wise people have crossed. The story of Sunidha and Vassakāra is finished. 175. The Discourse on Truths at Koṭigāma 287. Then the Blessed One approached Koṭigāma. There, indeed, the Blessed One dwelled at Koṭigāma. There the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus: "Bhikkhus, it is because of not understanding, not penetrating the four noble truths that this long journey of wandering and transmigration has occurred for both me and for you. Which four? Bhikkhus, it is because of not understanding, not penetrating the noble truth of suffering that this long journey of wandering and transmigration has occurred for both me and for you. Because of not understanding, not penetrating the noble truth of the origin of suffering... because of not understanding, not penetrating the noble truth of the cessation of suffering... because of not understanding, not penetrating the noble truth of the path leading to the cessation of suffering that this long journey of wandering and transmigration has occurred for both me and for you. But now, bhikkhus, the noble truth of suffering has been understood, has been penetrated, and... the noble truth of the origin of suffering has been understood, penetrated; the noble truth of the cessation of suffering has been understood, penetrated; the noble truth of the path leading to the cessation of suffering has been understood, penetrated; the craving for existence has been cut off; the thread of existence has been exhausted; there is no more rebirth now. Not seeing the four noble truths, For a long time I wandered Through those very existences. Now these have been seen, The thread of existence uprooted; The root of suffering cut off, There is no more rebirth now. The discourse on the truths at Koṭigāma is finished. 176. The Story of Ambapālī Now Ambapālī the courtesan heard: "The Blessed One has arrived at Koṭigāma." Then Ambapālī the courtesan had fine carriages prepared, mounted a fine carriage, and with fine carriages departed from Vesālī to see the Blessed One. As far as the carriage could go, she went by carriage, then dismounted from the carriage, and on foot approached the Blessed One. Having approached, she saluted the Blessed One and sat down to one side. The Blessed One instructed, incited, inspired, and gladdened Ambapālī the courtesan, who was sitting to one side, with a discourse on the Dhamma. Then Ambapālī the courtesan, instructed, incited, inspired, and gladdened by the Blessed One with a discourse on the Dhamma, said to the Blessed One: "May the Blessed One, venerable sir, accept my invitation for tomorrow's meal together with the community of monks." The Blessed One accepted by silence. Then Ambapālī the courtesan, knowing the Blessed One's acceptance, rose from her seat, saluted the Blessed One, circumambulated him, and departed. The story of Ambapālī is finished. 177. The Story of the Licchavīs Now the Licchavīs of Vesālī heard: "The Blessed One has arrived at Koṭigāma." Then the Licchavīs of Vesālī had fine carriages prepared, having mounted excellent, excellent vehicles, with excellent, excellent vehicles, they set out from Vesālī to see the Blessed One. Some Licchavīs were blue, blue-colored, blue-robed, blue-adorned; some Licchavīs were yellow, yellow-colored, yellow-robed, yellow-adorned; some Licchavīs were red, red-colored, red-robed, red-adorned; some Licchavīs were white, white-colored, white-robed, white-adorned. Then Ambapālī the courtesan collided pole with pole, yoke with yoke, wheel with wheel, axle with axle, with the young, young Licchavīs. Then those Licchavīs said to Ambapālī the courtesan: "Why, dear Ambapālī, do you collide pole with pole, yoke with yoke, wheel with wheel, axle with axle, with us young, young Licchavīs?" "Because, my princes, I have invited the assembly of monks headed by the Buddha for tomorrow." "Give us, dear Ambapālī, that meal for a hundred thousand!" "Even if you were to give me, my princes, Vesālī with its revenue, I would not give up that meal." Then those Licchavīs snapped their fingers: "We are indeed defeated, sirs, by the mango-girl! We are indeed vanquished, sirs, by the mango-girl!" Then those Licchavīs approached the Blessed One. The Blessed One saw those Licchavīs coming from afar. Having seen them, he addressed the monks: "Monks, for those monks who have never seen the Tāvatiṃsa gods, look, monks, at the assembly of Licchavīs! Observe, monks, the assembly of Licchavīs! Compare, monks, the assembly of Licchavīs to the assembly of Tāvatiṃsa!" Then those Licchavīs, as far as the ground was suitable for vehicles, went by vehicle, then dismounted from their vehicles, and on foot approached the Blessed One. Having approached, they bowed to the Blessed One and sat down to one side. As they sat to one side, those The Licchavis, the Blessed One instructed, roused, encouraged, and gladdened with a Dhamma talk. Then those Licchavis, instructed, roused, encouraged, and gladdened by the Blessed One with a Dhamma talk, said to the Blessed One: "May the Blessed One, sir, accept our meal for tomorrow, together with the Sangha of monks." "I have accepted, Licchavis, a meal for tomorrow from Ambapālī the courtesan." Then those Licchavis snapped their fingers: "Alas, we are defeated by Ambakā! Alas, we are outdone by Ambakā!" Then those Licchavis, having rejoiced in and approved of the Blessed One's words, rose from their seats, saluted the Blessed One, circumambulated him clockwise, and departed. Then the Blessed One, having stayed in Koṭigāma as long as he wished, went to Nātika. There, it is said, the Blessed One stayed in Nātika, in the brick house. Then Ambapālī the courtesan, when that night was over, had choice hard and soft food prepared in her own park, and announced the time to the Blessed One: "It is time, sir, the meal is ready." Then the Blessed One, in the morning, having dressed, and taking his bowl and robe, went to where Ambapālī the courtesan was serving food; having gone there, he sat down on the seat prepared, together with the Sangha of monks. Then Ambapālī the courtesan, having personally satisfied and served the Sangha of monks, with the Buddha at its head, with choice hard and soft food, sat down to one side, when the Blessed One had finished eating and had removed his hand from the bowl. Seated to one side, Ambapālī the courtesan said to the Blessed One: "Sir, I give this mango grove to the Sangha of monks, with the Buddha at its head." The Blessed One accepted the park. Then the Blessed One, having instructed, roused, encouraged, and gladdened Ambapālī the courtesan with a Dhamma talk, rose from his seat, and went to where the great He approached the grove. There, it is said, the Blessed One was dwelling in Vesālī, in the Great Wood, in the Gabled Hall. The story of the Licchavīs is finished. The third recitation section on the Licchavīs is finished. 178. The Story of General Sīha Now at that time, well-known, well-known Licchavīs, gathered and assembled in the assembly hall, in various ways spoke in praise of the Buddha, spoke in praise of the Dhamma, spoke in praise of the Saṅgha. Now at that time, Sīha the general, a disciple of the Nigaṇṭhas, was seated in that assembly. Then it occurred to Sīha the general: "Surely that Blessed One must be an Arahant, a Perfectly Self-Awakened One, since these well-known, well-known Licchavīs, gathered and assembled in the assembly hall, in various ways speak in praise of the Buddha, speak in praise of the Dhamma, speak in praise of the Saṅgha. What if I were to approach that Blessed One, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Awakened One, for an audience?" Then Sīha the general approached the Nigaṇṭha Nāṭaputta. Having approached, he said to the Nigaṇṭha Nāṭaputta: "I wish, venerable sir, to approach the recluse Gotama for an audience." "But why, Sīha, you who are an advocate of action, would you approach the recluse Gotama, who is an advocate of non-action? For the recluse Gotama, Sīha, is an advocate of non-action; he teaches the Dhamma for non-action, and by that he trains his disciples." Then the intention to go, which Sīha the general had, to see the Blessed One, subsided. A second time, well-known, well-known Licchavīs, gathered and assembled in the assembly hall, in various ways spoke in praise of the Buddha, spoke in praise of the Dhamma, spoke in praise of the Saṅgha. A second time, it occurred to Sīha the general: "Surely that Blessed One must be an Arahant, a Perfectly Self-Awakened One, since these... These well-known, well-known Licchavis, assembled, gathered in the assembly hall, in many ways speak in praise of the Buddha, speak in praise of the Dhamma, speak in praise of the Saṅgha. What if I were to approach that Blessed One for an audience, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Awakened One? A second time, indeed, Sīha the general approached where Nigaṇṭha Nāṭaputta was, and having approached, he said to Nigaṇṭha Nāṭaputta: "I wish, sir, to approach the recluse Gotama for an audience." "But why, Sīha, you being an advocate of action, will you approach the recluse Gotama, an advocate of inaction, for an audience? For the recluse Gotama, Sīha, is an advocate of inaction; he teaches the Dhamma for inaction, and by that he disciplines his disciples." A second time, indeed, for Sīha the general, that impulse to go for an audience with the Blessed One, it subsided.