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that their minds were ready, their minds were pliant, their minds were free from hindrances, their minds were uplifted, their minds were confident, then he revealed that teaching which is the special teaching of the Buddhas: suffering, its origin, its cessation, the path. Just as a clean cloth, free from stains, would perfectly absorb the dye, even so, for those eighty-four thousand ascetics, right there on that seat, the dustless, stainless Dhamma-eye arose: ‘Whatever is of the nature to arise, all that is of the nature to cease.’ 84. “Having seen the Dhamma, having attained the Dhamma, having understood the Dhamma, having penetrated the Dhamma, having crossed over doubt, having put away perplexity, having attained confidence, being independent of others in the Teacher’s Dispensation, they spoke to Vipassī, the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Awakened One, thus: ‘Excellent, Venerable Sir! Excellent, Venerable Sir! Just as, Venerable Sir, one might set upright what was overturned, or reveal what was hidden, or point out 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. We, Venerable Sir, go for refuge to the Blessed One, to the Dhamma, and to the Bhikkhu Saṅgha. May we receive, Venerable Sir, ordination in the presence of the Blessed One, may we receive full admission.’ 85. “And so, bhikkhus, those eighty-four thousand ascetics received ordination in the presence of Vipassī, the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Awakened One; they received full admission. Vipassī, the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Awakened One, instructed them, encouraged them, inspired them, and gladdened them with a Dhamma talk; he revealed the danger, the degradation, the defilement of conditioned things, and the benefit of Nibbāna. As they were being instructed, encouraged, inspired, and gladdened by Vipassī, the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Awakened One, with a Dhamma talk, their minds were soon liberated from the taints, without clinging. Permission to Wander naṃ 86. ‘‘At that time, O monks, in the royal capital of Bandhumatī, a great community of monks resided, sixty-eight hundred thousand monks. Then, O monks, to Vipassī the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Fully Self-Awakened One, while he was in seclusion, a thought arose in his mind thus: ‘A great community of monks now resides in the royal capital of Bandhumatī, sixty-eight hundred thousand monks. What if I were to permit the monks: “Go forth, O monks, on tour, for the welfare of many, for the happiness of many, out of compassion for the world, for the good, the benefit, the happiness of devas and humans. Let not two go by one path. Teach, O monks, the Dhamma which is lovely in the beginning, lovely in the middle, lovely in the end, with meaning and with letter, proclaim the completely perfect and purified holy life. There are beings with little dust in their eyes; they are perishing through not hearing the Dhamma. There will be those who understand the Dhamma. Moreover, after the lapse of every six years, the royal capital of Bandhumatī is to be approached for the recitation of the Pātimokkha.”’ 87. ‘‘Then, O monks, a certain Great Brahmā, knowing with his mind the mental thought of Vipassī the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Fully Self-Awakened One, just as a strong man might extend his flexed arm, or flex his extended arm— even so, he vanished from the Brahmā-world and appeared before Vipassī the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Fully Self-Awakened One. Then, O monks, that Great Brahmā, having arranged his upper robe over one shoulder, and having saluted Vipassī the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Fully Self-Awakened One with clasped hands, spoke to Vipassī the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Fully Self-Awakened One, saying: ‘So it is, Blessed One! So it is, Sugata! A great community of monks now resides, Venerable Sir, in the royal capital of Bandhumatī, sixty-eight hundred thousand monks. Permit, Venerable Sir, the Blessed One, the monks: “Go forth, O monks, on tour, for the welfare of many…”’” for the welfare of many people, for the happiness of many people, out of compassion for the world, for the good, for the welfare, for the happiness of gods and humans. Do not go, two by two, by one path. Teach, monks, the Dhamma beautiful in the beginning, beautiful in the middle, beautiful in the end, with meaning and with letter, fully complete and purified, proclaim the holy life. There are beings with little dust in their eyes; they decline through not hearing the Dhamma. There will be those who understand the Dhamma. And also, venerable sir, we will do so that the monks will approach the royal capital of Bandhumatī after the lapse of six years, for the recitation of the Pātimokkha. This, monks, the Great Brahmā spoke. Having said this, having saluted the Blessed One Vipassī, the Arahant, the Fully Self-Enlightened One, and circumambulated him, he vanished right there. 88. Then, monks, the Blessed One Vipassī, the Arahant, the Fully Self-Enlightened One, having risen from seclusion in the evening time, addressed the monks: "Here, monks, while I was in seclusion, alone, this thought arose in my mind: 'Indeed, at present, a great assembly of monks resides in the royal capital of Bandhumatī, sixty-eight hundred thousand monks. What if I were to permit the monks: "Go forth, monks, on tour, for the welfare of many people, for the happiness of many people, out of compassion for the world, for the good, for the welfare, for the happiness of gods and humans. Do not go, two by two, by one path. Teach, monks, the Dhamma beautiful in the beginning, beautiful in the middle, beautiful in the end, with meaning and with letter, fully complete and purified, proclaim the holy life. There are beings with little dust in their eyes; they decline through not hearing the Dhamma. There will be those who understand the Dhamma. And also, the royal capital of Bandhumatī is to be approached after the lapse of six years, for the recitation of the Pātimokkha." "'Then, monks, a certain Great Brahmā, having known my thought with his mind, just as a strong man Just as a strong man might extend his bent arm, or bend his extended arm, even so, having vanished from the Brahma-world, he appeared before me. Then, monks, that Great Brahma, having arranged his upper robe over one shoulder, and having saluted me with joined hands, spoke to me thus: ‘So it is, Blessed One, so it is, Fortunate One. Great, indeed, venerable sir, is the community of monks now residing in the royal capital of Bandhumatī, sixty-eight hundred thousand monks. May the Blessed One, venerable sir, permit the monks: ‘Go forth, monks, on tour, for the welfare of many, for the happiness of many, out of compassion for the world, for the good, for the benefit, for the happiness of devas and humans; Let not two go by one road; Teach, monks, the Dhamma… (and so on) … There are beings with little dust in their eyes, who are perishing through not hearing the Dhamma; they will be knowers of the Dhamma.’ Moreover, venerable sir, we shall arrange it so that the monks will approach the royal capital of Bandhumatī after every six years for the recitation of the Pātimokkha.’ This is what that Great Brahma said, monks. Having said this, he saluted me, circumambulated me respectfully, and vanished right there.’ ‘I permit, monks: Go forth on tour, for the welfare of many, for the happiness of many, out of compassion for the world, for the good, for the benefit, for the happiness of devas and humans; Let not two go by one road; Teach, monks, the Dhamma, beautiful in the beginning, beautiful in the middle, beautiful in the end, with meaning and with letter, proclaim the entirely complete and purified holy life. There are beings with little dust in their eyes, who are perishing through not hearing the Dhamma; they will be knowers of the Dhamma. Moreover, monks, after every six years, the royal capital of Bandhumatī is to be approached for the recitation of the Pātimokkha.’ Then, monks, the monks for the most part set forth on their country tour in a single day. 89. ‘‘Now at that time, there were eighty-four thousand monasteries in Jambudīpa. One When one year had passed, the devas announced with a voice: “One year, sirs, has passed; five years now remain. After the passing of five years, the royal capital of Bandhumatī is to be approached for the recitation of the Pātimokkha.” When two years had passed… When three years had passed… When four years had passed… When five years had passed, the devas announced with a voice: “Five years, sirs, have passed; one year now remains. After the passing of one year, the royal capital of Bandhumatī is to be approached for the recitation of the Pātimokkha.” When six years had passed, the devas announced with a voice: “Six years, sirs, have passed. Now is the time to approach the royal capital of Bandhumatī for the recitation of the Pātimokkha.” Then, bhikkhus, some of those bhikkhus by their own psychic power, and some by the psychic power of devas, approached the royal capital of Bandhumatī in a single day for the recitation of the Pātimokkha. 90. There, bhikkhus, the Blessed One Vipassī, the Arahant, the Fully Awakened One, recited the Pātimokkha to the assembly of bhikkhus thus: “Patience, endurance, is the highest austerity. Nibbāna is supreme, say the Buddhas. One gone forth does not harm others, nor is one a recluse who torments others. “Not doing any evil, the accumulation of skillfulness, the purification of one’s own mind— this is the teaching of the Buddhas. “Not reviling, not harming, restraint according to the Pātimokkha, moderation in food, secluded lodging, and devotion to higher thought— this is the teaching of the Buddhas.” Announcement by Devas 91. On one occasion, bhikkhus, I was dwelling in Ukkaṭṭhā, in the Subhaga Grove,