English
Venerable Ānanda, with those old mattress covers?" "Those, great king, we will make into floor coverings." "And what will you do, Venerable Ānanda, with those old floor coverings?" "Those, great king, we will make into foot-wipers." "And what will you do, Venerable Ānanda, with those old foot-wipers?" "Those, great king, we will make into dusters." "And what will you do, Venerable Ānanda, with those old dusters?" "Those, great king, we will pound, mix with mud, and plaster the walls." Then King Udena thought: "All these Sakyan renunciants make proper use of things, they do not let them go to waste." And he gave Venerable Ānanda another five hundred pieces of cloth. Thus, Venerable Ānanda received his first robe-alms, a thousand robes. Then Venerable Ānanda approached the Ghositārāma. Having approached, he sat down on the prepared seat. Then Venerable Channa approached Venerable Ānanda. Having approached, he greeted Venerable Ānanda and sat down to one side. To Venerable Channa, seated to one side, Venerable Ānanda said this: "Friend Channa, the Sangha has imposed the Brahma-punishment on you." "But what, Venerable Ānanda, is this Brahma-punishment that has been imposed?" "Friend Channa, you, the monk..." Whatever you wish, that you may say. By the monks, you are not to be spoken to, not to be advised, not to be instructed. Am I not, Venerable Ānanda, slain by this much, that I am not to be spoken to by the monks, not to be advised, not to be instructed? Thereupon, he fainted and fell. Then indeed, the Venerable Channa, afflicted by the Brahma-punishment, ashamed, disgusted, dwelling alone, withdrawn, diligent, ardent, resolute, not long after, for the sake of which noble sons rightly go forth from home to homelessness, that unsurpassed culmination of the holy life, having realized it for himself with direct knowledge in this very life, he attained and dwelt in it. He understood: Birth is destroyed, the holy life has been lived, what was to be done has been done, there is no more for this state of being. And the Venerable Channa became one of the Arahants. Then indeed, the Venerable Channa, having attained Arahantship, approached the Venerable Ānanda, and having approached, he said to the Venerable Ānanda: Now, Venerable Ānanda, release me from the Brahma-punishment. As soon as, friend Channa, Arahantship was realized by you, so soon was the Brahma-punishment released for you. Indeed, in this Vinaya Council, there were five hundred monks, neither less nor more. Therefore, this Vinaya Council is called "The Five Hundred." The Chapter of the Five Hundred is the eleventh. In this chapter, there are twenty-three topics. Its summary – When the Fully Awakened One had attained Parinibbāna, The Elder named Kassapa; Addressed the assembly of monks, The protector of the True Dhamma; On the road to Pāvā, What Subhadda had declared; Let us recite the True Dhamma, Lest the false Dhamma shine forth. Five hundred minus one, And Ānanda too was chosen; The recitation of Dhamma and Vinaya, Dwelling in the excellent cave. Upāli was asked about Vinaya, Ānanda, the wise, about the Suttantas; The three Piṭakas were recited, By the disciples of the Conqueror. He did not ask by oppressing, Nor did he make them bow, nor did he beg. The going forth of women, And the minor offenses, with faith. Me; The old Brahma-punishment, and obstruction with Udena. So much and very weak, the cushion from the upper covering; From the ground-covering to be wiped, dust from treading in mud. A thousand robes arose, named the first Ānanda; Punished by the Brahma-punishment, he attained the four truths; Five hundred became masters, therefore it is called "Five Hundred". The chapter of the Five Hundred is finished.