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the Bodhisatta's mother passes away, and is reborn in the Tusita realm.' This too, venerable sir, this too, venerable sir, I hold as a wondrous, marvelous quality of the Blessed One. "Face to face, venerable sir, I heard this from the Blessed One, face to face I received it – 'Just as, Ānanda, other women carry a fetus in their womb for nine or ten months and then give birth, the Bodhisatta's mother does not give birth to the Bodhisatta in that way. The Bodhisatta's mother carries the Bodhisatta in her womb for exactly ten months and then gives birth.' This too, venerable sir, this too, venerable sir, I hold as a wondrous, marvelous quality of the Blessed One. "Face to face, venerable sir, I heard this from the Blessed One, face to face I received it – 'Just as, Ānanda, other women give birth sitting or lying down, not Thus the Bodhisatta's mother gives birth to the Bodhisatta. Standing, the Bodhisatta's mother gives birth to the Bodhisatta. This too, venerable sir, I hold as a wonder, an amazing quality of the Blessed One. This, venerable sir, I heard directly from the Blessed One, I received directly from him – 'When, Ānanda, the Bodhisatta emerges from his mother's womb, devas receive him first, then humans.' This too, venerable sir, I hold as a wonder, an amazing quality of the Blessed One. 206. This, venerable sir, I heard directly from the Blessed One, I received directly from him – 'When, Ānanda, the Bodhisatta emerges from his mother's womb, before the Bodhisatta touches the earth, four devaputtas receive him and place him before his mother – "Be joyful, queen; a son of great power has been born to you."' This too, venerable sir, I hold as a wonder, an amazing quality of the Blessed One. This, venerable sir, I heard directly from the Blessed One, I received directly from him – 'When, Ānanda, the Bodhisatta emerges from his mother's womb, he emerges pure and unsullied, unsoiled by water, unsoiled by phlegm, unsoiled by blood, unsoiled by any impurity, pure and unsullied. Just as, Ānanda, a jewel placed on a Kasi cloth neither soils the Kasi cloth nor does the Kasi cloth soil the jewel. Why is that? Because both are pure. Even so, Ānanda, when the Bodhisatta emerges from his mother's womb, he emerges pure and unsullied, unsoiled by water, unsoiled by phlegm, unsoiled by blood, unsoiled by any impurity, pure and unsullied.' This too, venerable sir, I hold as a wonder, an amazing quality of the Blessed One. This, venerable sir, I heard directly from the Blessed One, I received directly from him – 'When, Ānanda, the Bodhisatta's mother's... (text incomplete) from the womb he emerges, two streams of water appear in the sky— one cold, one warm; with which they perform the water ritual for the Bodhisatta and for his mother. This too, venerable sir… This too, venerable sir, I hold as a wondrous and amazing quality of the Blessed One. 207. ‘‘Face to face, venerable sir, I heard this from the Blessed One, face to face I received it— ‘Immediately after birth, Ānanda, the Bodhisatta, standing firmly on the earth with even feet, walks seven steps towards the north, while a white parasol is held over him, and he surveys all directions, and utters a bull-like speech: “I am the foremost in the world, I am the eldest in the world, I am the chief in the world. This is my last birth, there is no more renewed existence.”’ This too, venerable sir… This too, venerable sir, I hold as a wondrous and amazing quality of the Blessed One. ‘‘Face to face, venerable sir, I heard this from the Blessed One, face to face I received it— ‘When, Ānanda, the Bodhisatta emerges from his mother’s womb, then in the world with its devas, with its Māra, with its Brahmā, with its ascetics and brahmins, with its devas and humans, an immeasurable, splendid radiance appears in the world, surpassing the divine power of the devas. Even those inter-world spaces, the abysses, the uncovered, the darkness, the utter gloom, where these moons and suns, so mighty, so powerful, do not shine with their light— even there an immeasurable, splendid radiance appears in the world, surpassing the divine power of the devas. And the beings born there, they too recognize each other by that radiance— “Indeed, sirs, there are other beings born here!” And this ten-thousandfold world system trembles, quakes, and shakes violently, and an immeasurable, splendid radiance appears in the world, surpassing the divine power of the devas.’ This too, venerable sir… This too, venerable sir, I hold as a wondrous and amazing quality of the Blessed One.’’ 208. ‘‘Therefore, Ānanda, this too is a wondrous and amazing quality of the Tathāgata. remember this. Here, Ānanda, for the Tathāgata, feelings arise known, they persist known, they cease known; perceptions arise known, they persist known, they cease known; thoughts arise known, they persist known, they cease known. This too, Ānanda, you should remember as a wondrous, amazing quality of the Tathāgata.” “Indeed, Venerable Sir, for the Blessed One, feelings arise known, they persist known, they cease known; perceptions… thoughts arise known, they persist known, they cease known. This too, Venerable Sir, I remember as a wondrous, amazing quality of the Blessed One.” Thus spoke Venerable Ānanda. The Teacher approved; and those bhikkhus rejoiced at Venerable Ānanda’s words. The Discourse on Wondrous and Amazing Qualities, the third, is finished. 4. The Discourse on Bākula Thus have I heard – At one time, Venerable Bākula was staying in Rājagaha, in the Bamboo Grove, at the Squirrels’ Feeding Ground. Then Acelakassapa, an old householder friend of Venerable Bākula, approached Venerable Bākula; having approached, he exchanged greetings with Venerable Bākula. Having concluded the courteous and memorable talk, he sat down to one side. Sitting to one side, Acelakassapa said this to Venerable Bākula: “How long have you been ordained, friend Bākula?” “It has been eighty years, friend, since I was ordained.” “During these eighty years, friend Bākula, how many times have you indulged in sexual intercourse?” “You should not ask me, friend Kassapa, in this way: ‘During these eighty years, friend Bākula, how many times have you indulged in sexual intercourse?’ Rather, friend Kassapa, you should ask me in this way: ‘During these eighty years, friend Bākula, how many times has a sensual thought Has arisen before? (Friend Bakkula, in these eighty years, how many times has a sensual perception arisen before?) 210. Eighty years, friend, since I went forth, I do not recall a sensual perception having arisen before. That the venerable Bakkula, in eighty years, does not recall a sensual perception having arisen before, this too we hold as a wonder, an amazing quality of the venerable Bakkula. Eighty years, friend, since I went forth, I do not recall a perception of ill-will having arisen before, ... (and so on) ... I do not recall a perception of harm having arisen before. That the venerable Bakkula, in eighty years, does not recall a perception of harm having arisen before, this too we hold as a wonder, an amazing quality of the venerable Bakkula. Eighty years, friend, since I went forth, I do not recall a sensual thought having arisen before. That the venerable Bakkula, in eighty years, does not recall a sensual thought having arisen before, this too we hold as a wonder, an amazing quality of the venerable Bakkula. Eighty years, friend, since I went forth, I do not recall a thought of ill-will having arisen before, ... (and so on) ... I do not recall a thought of harm having arisen before. That the venerable Bakkula, in eighty years, does not recall a thought of harm having arisen before, this too we hold as a wonder, an amazing quality of the venerable Bakkula. 211. Eighty years, friend, since I went forth, I do not recall having accepted a layperson's robe. That the venerable Bakkula, in eighty years, does not recall having accepted a layperson's robe, this too we hold as a wonder, an amazing quality of the venerable Bakkula. Eighty years, friend, since I went forth, I do not recall having cut a robe with a knife. That the venerable Bakkula, in eighty years, does not recall having cut a robe with a knife, ... (and so on) ... we hold. Eighty years, friend, since I went forth, I do not recall having sewn a robe with a needle, ... (and so on, for the concluding statement). I do not recall having dyed a robe with dye, ... (and so on, for the concluding statement). I do not recall a kathina, ... (and so on, for the concluding statement). I have sewn a robe... I do not recall having engaged in robe-making for fellow monks. I do not recall having accepted an invitation. I do not recall such a thought ever arising: 'Oh, if only someone would invite me!' I do not recall having sat inside a house. I do not recall having eaten inside a house. I do not recall having taken a sign of a woman according to her features. I do not recall having taught the Dhamma to a woman, not even a four-line verse. I do not recall having approached a nunnery. I do not recall having taught the Dhamma to a nun. I do not recall having taught the Dhamma to a female trainee. I do not recall having taught the Dhamma to a female novice. I do not recall having given ordination. I do not recall having given higher ordination. I do not recall having given reliance. I do not recall having attended to a novice. I do not recall having bathed in a hot-bath house. I do not recall having bathed with powder. I do not recall having engaged in personal service for a fellow monk. I do not recall any illness ever arising, not even as much as a boil. I do not recall having taken medicine, not even a piece of myrobalan. I do not recall having leaned on a backrest. I do not recall having arranged a bed. That which the venerable one... we hold. Eighty years, friends, since I went forth, I do not recall having spent the Rains in a village dwelling.