English
"What do you think, Ambaṭṭha? Do you, failing to achieve this unsurpassed perfection of knowledge and conduct, and failing to achieve living on fallen fruits, and failing to achieve living on roots, tubers, and fruits, near a village or near a town, make a fire-house and tend the fire with your teacher?" "No indeed, good Gotama." "What do you think, Ambaṭṭha? Do you, failing to achieve this unsurpassed perfection of knowledge and conduct, and failing to achieve living on fallen fruits, and failing to achieve living on roots, tubers, and fruits..." and not mastering it, and not mastering the service of fire, do you live, with your teacher, having built a house with four doors at the crossroads, saying: ‘Whoever, ascetic or brahmin, comes from these four directions, him we shall honor to the best of our ability and strength’?” “No, indeed, good Gotama.” 282. “Thus, Ambaṭṭha, you, with your teacher, are deprived of this unsurpassed perfection of knowledge and conduct. And you, with your teacher, are deprived of those four gateways to perdition that are for those without unsurpassed perfection of knowledge and conduct. And that speech, Ambaṭṭha, was uttered by your teacher, the brahmin Pokkharasāti: ‘Who are these shaven-headed ascetics, these wretches, these dark ones, these offspring of the Black One’s foot, and what is their discussion with brahmins possessing the three knowledges?’ — even though he himself is bound for perdition, not fulfilling it. See, Ambaṭṭha, how much this is an offense of your teacher, the brahmin Pokkharasāti. The Former Seers’ Practice 283. “And the brahmin Pokkharasāti, Ambaṭṭha, enjoys a grant from King Pasenadi of Kosala. King Pasenadi of Kosala does not even grant him an audience. When he consults with him, he consults from behind a curtain. How could King Pasenadi of Kosala not even grant an audience to one who would accept a righteous alms-food from him? See, Ambaṭṭha, how much this is an offense of your teacher, the brahmin Pokkharasāti. 284. “What do you think, Ambaṭṭha? Here, King Pasenadi of Kosala, seated on an elephant’s neck, or seated on a horse’s back, or standing on a chariot’s floor, might consult some matter with exalted kṣatriyas. He might then depart from that place and stand aside. Then a śūdra or a śūdra slave might come, and standing in that place, might consult that same matter, saying: ‘Thus King Pasenadi of Kosala said, thus King Pasenadi of Kosala said.’ Would he then be speaking the king’s words or does he advise a king? Is he, by that much, a king or a royal minister? No, indeed, Venerable Gotama. Just so, Ambaṭṭha, those ancient sages of the Brahmins, who were the makers of mantras, the promulgators of mantras, whose ancient mantra-path is now sung, spoken, compiled by Brahmins, they chant after it, speak after it, speak what was spoken, recite what was recited, namely – Aṭṭhaka, Vāmaka, Vāmadeva, Vessāmitta, Yamataggi, Aṅgīrasa, Bhāradvāja, Vāseṭṭha, Kassapa, Bhagu – (and you say) 'I, with my teacher, study these mantras,' by that much, you will be a sage or one who has attained the state of a sage – that is not possible. What do you think, Ambaṭṭha? Have you heard from the old, aged Brahmins, your teachers and teachers' teachers, speaking thus – those ancient sages of the Brahmins, who were the makers of mantras, the promulgators of mantras, whose ancient mantra-path is now sung, spoken, compiled by Brahmins, they chant after it, speak after it, speak what was spoken, recite what was recited, namely – Aṭṭhaka, Vāmaka, Vāmadeva, Vessāmitta, Yamataggi, Aṅgīrasa, Bhāradvāja, Vāseṭṭha, Kassapa, Bhagu, did they, well-bathed, well-anointed, with hair and beard trimmed, adorned with jewelled earrings, wearing white clothes, fully endowed and furnished with the five strands of sensual pleasure, attend (to their duties), just as you do now with your teacher? No, indeed, Venerable Gotama. ...did they partake of fine rice, with pure meat sauce, with various black grains, with many curries, with many savories, just as you do now with your teacher? No, indeed, Venerable Gotama. ...did they attend to women adorned with turbans and ornaments, just as you do now with your teacher? No, indeed, Venerable Gotama. ...did they (use) cut hair or... with long goads, driving the vehicles, they go astray, just as you are now, with your teacher?’’ ‘‘No, indeed, good Gotama.’’ ‘‘…And so… do they protect you with men armed with long swords, in cities with moats dug out, and crossbars removed, just as you are now, with your teacher?’’ ‘‘No, indeed, good Gotama.’’ ‘‘Thus, Ambaṭṭha, you are neither a sage nor one practicing for sagehood, with your teacher. Whoever, Ambaṭṭha, has doubt or perplexity concerning me, let him question me, and I will satisfy him with an explanation.’’ The Non-Appearance of Two Marks 287. Then the Blessed One, having emerged from the dwelling, began to walk up and down. The young man Ambaṭṭha also, having emerged from the dwelling, began to walk up and down. Then the young man Ambaṭṭha, walking behind the Blessed One as he walked, examined the thirty-two marks of a Great Man on the body of the Blessed One. The young man Ambaṭṭha saw the thirty-two marks of a Great Man on the body of the Blessed One, mostly, except for two. Concerning two marks of a Great Man, he doubted, he was perplexed, he was not convinced, he was not satisfied— the private parts being enclosed in a sheath, and the abundant tongue. 288. Then it occurred to the Blessed One: ‘‘This young man Ambaṭṭha sees the thirty-two marks of a Great Man on me, mostly, except for two. Concerning two marks of a Great Man, he doubts, he is perplexed, he is not convinced, he is not satisfied— the private parts being enclosed in a sheath, and the abundant tongue.’’ Then the Blessed One performed such a psychic feat that the young man Ambaṭṭha saw the private parts of the Blessed One enclosed in a sheath. Then the Blessed One extended his tongue and touched and stroked both ear-holes, touched and stroked both nostrils, and covered his entire forehead with his tongue. Then it occurred to the young man Ambaṭṭha: ‘‘The ascetic Gotama is endowed with the two with the thirty-two marks of a Great Man, complete, not incomplete.” He said to the Blessed One: “Well then, Master Gotama, we go now; we have much to do, much to attend to.” “Now, Ambaṭṭha, you may do as you think fit.” Then the young man Ambaṭṭha mounted his chariot drawn by mares and departed. 289. Now at that time, the brahmin Pokkharasāti, having gone forth from Ukkaṭṭhā, was seated in his own park with a large company of brahmins, awaiting the young man Ambaṭṭha. Then the young man Ambaṭṭha drove towards his own park. As far as the ground was suitable for his vehicle, he went by vehicle, then dismounted from the vehicle, and on foot approached the brahmin Pokkharasāti; having approached, he saluted the brahmin Pokkharasāti and sat down to one side. 290. Seated to one side, the brahmin Pokkharasāti said to the young man Ambaṭṭha: “Did you, my dear Ambaṭṭha, see that Master Gotama?” “Yes, Master, we saw that Master Gotama.” “Is it true, my dear Ambaṭṭha, that the report that has arisen about that Master Gotama is indeed so, and not otherwise? Is that Master Gotama of such a kind, and not otherwise?” “Indeed, Master, the report that has arisen about that Master Gotama is so, and not otherwise; that Master Gotama is of such a kind, and not otherwise. And that Master Gotama is endowed with the thirty-two marks of a Great Man, complete, not incomplete.” “Did you, my dear Ambaṭṭha, have any conversation with the ascetic Gotama?” “Yes, Master, I had some conversation with the ascetic Gotama.” “And how, my dear Ambaṭṭha, did you have some conversation with the ascetic Gotama?” Then the young man Ambaṭṭha reported to the brahmin Pokkharasāti all the conversation he had had with the Blessed One. Thus spoken, the brahmin Pokkharasāti said to the young brahmin Ambaṭṭha – "Oh, alas, our learned one, Oh, alas, our very learned one, Oh, alas, our master of the three Vedas, By such a person, indeed, sir, acting for his own ruin, at the body's breaking up, after death, he might be reborn in a state of woe, a bad destination, a downfall, in hell. For you, Ambaṭṭha, repeatedly assailed and spoke to the venerable Gotama in such a way, and the venerable Gotama also repeatedly brought up and spoke to us in such a way. Oh, alas, our learned one, Oh, alas, our very learned one, Oh, alas, our master of the three Vedas, By such a person, indeed, sir, acting for his own ruin, at the body's breaking up, after death, he might be reborn in a state of woe, a bad destination, a downfall, in hell!" Angered, displeased, he drove the young brahmin Ambaṭṭha away with his foot. And he wished to approach the Blessed One for an audience immediately. Pokkharasāti's approach to the Buddha Then those brahmins said to the brahmin Pokkharasāti – "It is too late, sir, today to approach the ascetic Gotama for an audience. Tomorrow, venerable Pokkharasāti, will approach the ascetic Gotama for an audience." Then the brahmin Pokkharasāti, having prepared choice hard and soft food in his own dwelling, had it loaded onto vehicles, and with torches being carried, he set out from Ukkaṭṭhā, and proceeded towards the Icchānaṅgala forest grove. As far as the ground was passable by vehicle, he went by vehicle, then dismounting from the vehicle, on foot, he approached the Blessed One. Having approached, he exchanged greetings with the Blessed One, and having concluded the courteous and memorable talk, he sat down to one side. Seated to one side, the brahmin Pokkharasāti said to the Blessed One – "Did our pupil, the young brahmin Ambaṭṭha, come here, venerable Gotama?" "He came." “Indeed, those are your disciples, Brahmin, the youth Ambaṭṭha.” “But did you, good Gotama, have any conversation with the youth Ambaṭṭha?” “Indeed, Brahmin, I had some conversation