English
As far as the ground allowed for vehicles, he went by vehicle, then dismounting from the vehicle, he entered the park on foot. King Pasenadi of Kosala, walking and wandering in the park, saw tree roots delightful, inspiring, quiet, with little noise, with secluded breezes, suitable for human privacy, suitable for seclusion. Seeing them, a thought arose concerning the Blessed One: "These indeed are those tree roots, delightful, inspiring, quiet, with little noise, with secluded breezes, suitable for human privacy, suitable for seclusion, where we might attend upon that Blessed One, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Awakened One." Then King Pasenadi of Kosala addressed Dīgha Kārāyana: "These, friend Kārāyana, are those tree roots, delightful, inspiring, quiet, with little noise, with secluded breezes, suitable for human privacy, suitable for seclusion, where we might attend upon that Blessed One, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Awakened One. Where, friend Kārāyana, does that Blessed One, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Awakened One, reside now?" "There is, great king, a Sakyan town called Medāḷupa. There that Blessed One, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Awakened One, resides now." "How far, friend Kārāyana, is the Sakyan town called Medāḷupa from the city?" "Not far, great king; three leagues; it can be reached in the remainder of a day." "Then, friend Kārāyana, yoke the excellent, excellent vehicles; we shall go to see that Blessed One, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Awakened One." fully enlightened one.” “Yes, Your Majesty,” Dīgha Kārāyana, having assented to King Pasenadi of Kosala, had fine, fine carriages harnessed. Then he reported to King Pasenadi of Kosala: “Your fine, fine carriages are harnessed, Your Majesty. Now is the time, as you deem fit.” Then King Pasenadi of Kosala mounted a fine carriage, and with fine, fine carriages, he set out from the city towards the Sakyan village called Medāḷupa. He reached the Sakyan village called Medāḷupa by the end of that very day. He set out towards the park. Having gone as far as the carriage could go, he alighted from the carriage, and on foot, he entered the park. 366. Now at that time, many bhikkhus were walking in the open air. Then King Pasenadi of Kosala approached those bhikkhus; having approached them, he said to those bhikkhus: “Where, venerable sirs, does that Blessed One, the Arahant, the Fully Enlightened One, reside now? For we wish to see that Blessed One, the Arahant, the Fully Enlightened One.” “That, great king, is the monastery with a closed door. Approach it quietly, enter the porch unhurriedly, clear your throat, and knock on the bolt. The Blessed One will open the door for you.” Then King Pasenadi of Kosala handed his sword and turban to Dīgha Kārāyana right there. Then Dīgha Kārāyana thought: “The King is now alone; I must stay here now.” Then King Pasenadi of Kosala approached that monastery with the closed door quietly, entered the porch unhurriedly, cleared his throat, and knocked on the bolt. The Blessed One opened the door. Then King Pasenadi of Kosala entered the monastery, prostrated with his head at the feet of the Blessed One, kissed the feet of the Blessed One with his mouth, massaged them with his hands, and announced his name: “I am King Venerable sir, I am Pasenadi, the Kosalan king. Venerable sir, I am Pasenadi, the Kosalan king. 367. "But what advantage, great king, do you foresee, that you show such extreme reverence for this body, offering a gift of friendship?" "Venerable sir, I have this conviction regarding the Blessed One's Dhamma: 'The Blessed One is perfectly enlightened, the Dhamma is well-proclaimed by the Blessed One, the Sangha of the Blessed One's disciples is well-practiced.' Here, Venerable sir, I see some ascetics and brahmins practicing the holy life for a limited period, for ten years, or twenty years, or thirty years, or forty years. Then, at a later time, they are well-bathed, well-anointed, with hair and beard trimmed, fully endowed and engaged with the five sense pleasures. But here, Venerable sir, I see monks practicing the holy life perfectly and purely for as long as they live, until their last breath. Venerable sir, I do not see any other holy life outside of this that is so perfect and pure. This too, Venerable sir, is my conviction regarding the Blessed One's Dhamma: 'The Blessed One is perfectly enlightened, the Dhamma is well-proclaimed by the Blessed One, the Sangha of the Blessed One's disciples is well-practiced.' 368. "Furthermore, Venerable sir, kings dispute with kings, nobles dispute with nobles, brahmins dispute with brahmins, householders dispute with householders, mother disputes with son, son disputes with mother, father disputes with son, son disputes with father, brother disputes with sister, sister disputes with brother, friend disputes with friend. But here, Venerable sir, I see monks dwelling in concord, in harmony, without dispute, like milk and water, looking at each other with loving eyes. Venerable sir, I do not see any other assembly outside of this that is so harmonious. This too, Venerable sir, is my conviction regarding the Blessed One's Dhamma: 'The Perfectly The Buddha is perfectly enlightened, the Dhamma is well-proclaimed by the Buddha, the Sangha of the Buddha’s disciples is practicing well. 369. “And again, venerable sir, I wander from park to park, from garden to garden. There I see some ascetics and brahmins who are emaciated, unkempt, ill-favored, yellowish, with veins standing out on their bodies, not, as it were, pleasing to the eye of the people. Then, venerable sir, it occurred to me: ‘Surely these venerable ones are either not delighting in the holy life, or they have committed some hidden evil deed; for indeed these venerable ones are emaciated, unkempt, ill-favored, yellowish, with veins standing out on their bodies, not, as it were, pleasing to the eye of the people.’ I approach them and say: ‘Why, venerable ones, are you emaciated, unkempt, ill-favored, yellowish, with veins standing out on your bodies, not, as it were, pleasing to the eye of the people?’ They say: ‘We have jaundice, great king.’ But here, venerable sir, I see bhikkhus joyful and elated, with radiant countenances, with serene faculties, free from anxiety, with dropped hair, living on what is given by others, with minds like a deer. Then, venerable sir, it occurred to me: ‘Surely these venerable ones know a great and progressive distinction in the teaching of that Blessed One; for indeed these venerable ones are joyful and elated, with radiant countenances, with serene faculties, free from anxiety, with dropped hair, living on what is given by others, with minds like a deer.’ This too, venerable sir, is my conviction in the Blessed One: ‘The Buddha is perfectly enlightened, the Dhamma is well-proclaimed by the Buddha, the Sangha of the Buddha’s disciples is practicing well.’ 370. “And again, venerable sir, I am a king, a khattiya, anointed; I am able to execute those who should be executed, to fine those who should be fined, to banish those who should be banished. Then, venerable sir, it occurred to me…” Yes, venerable sir, when I am seated in the assembly hall, they interrupt my talk again and again. I cannot get them to stop— ‘Venerable sirs, do not interrupt my talk when I am seated in the assembly hall; venerable sirs, wait until my talk is finished.’ They interrupt my talk again and again. But here, venerable sir, I see the bhikkhus; at the time when the Blessed One teaches the Dhamma to an assembly of many hundreds, at that time there is no spitting sound nor coughing sound from the Blessed One’s disciples. Once upon a time, venerable sir, the Blessed One was teaching the Dhamma to an assembly of many hundreds. There, a certain disciple of the Blessed One coughed. Then another fellow monk nudged him with his knee— ‘Venerable sir, be quiet, venerable sir, do not make a sound; our Teacher, the Blessed One, is teaching the Dhamma.’ Then, venerable sir, it occurred to me— ‘How wonderful, sirs, how amazing, sirs! Truly, sirs, without stick and without weapon, such a well-disciplined assembly exists!’ Indeed, venerable sir, I do not see any other assembly outside of this that is so well-disciplined. This too, venerable sir, is my conviction in the Blessed One— ‘The Blessed One is perfectly enlightened, the Dhamma is well-proclaimed by the Blessed One, the Sangha of the Blessed One’s disciples is well-practiced.’ 371. Again, venerable sir, I see some Khattiya scholars here, shrewd, skilled in refuting others’ doctrines, like hair-splitters. They go about, I think, shattering wrong views with their wisdom. They hear— ‘Indeed, venerable sirs, the ascetic Gotama will enter such and such a village or town.’ They formulate a question— ‘We will approach the ascetic Gotama and ask him this question. If, when asked, he answers thus, we will refute his doctrine thus; and if, when asked, he answers thus, we will refute his doctrine thus.’ They hear – 'Indeed, sirs, the recluse Gotama has arrived at such-and-such a village or town.' They approach the Blessed One. The Blessed One instructs them, incites them, encourages them, and gladdens them with a talk on the Dhamma. Instructed, incited, encouraged, and gladdened by the Blessed One with a talk on the Dhamma, they do not even ask the Blessed One a question, much less engage in debate. Instead, they become disciples of the Blessed One. This too, venerable sir, is a way the Dhamma follows for me in the Blessed One – 'The Blessed One is perfectly enlightened, the Dhamma is well-expounded by the Blessed One, the Sangha of the Blessed One's disciples is well-practiced.' 372. "Again, venerable sir, I see here certain learned brahmins... ...certain learned householders... ...certain learned recluses, skilled in debate, like hair-splitters. They go about, as it were, demolishing views with their wisdom. They hear: 'Indeed, sirs,