English
” “Why are you called a recluse, sir?” “I banish evil defilements, therefore, boy, I am called a recluse.” “For what reason, sir, are your hairs not like others’?” “Seeing these sixteen impediments, boy, I shaved off my hair and beard and went forth.” “Which sixteen?” “The impediment of adornment, the impediment of beautification, the impediment of anointing with oil, the impediment of washing, the impediment of garlands, the impediment of perfumes, the impediment of fragrance, the impediment of harīṭaka, the impediment of āmalaka, the impediment of dyes, the impediment of tying, the impediment of brushes, the impediment of barbers, the impediment of untangling, the impediment of lice. When their hair is lost, people grieve, they weary, they lament, they beat their breasts and cry, they fall into confusion. Entangled in these sixteen impediments, boy, people cannot perceive all subtle skills.” (they) destroy lives. "For what reason, sir, are your clothes not like others'?" "Clothes, my boy, are dependent on desire, household articles are dependent on desire. Whatever fears arise from clothes, those do not exist for one wearing a saffron robe. Therefore my clothes are not like others'." "Do you know, sir, any skills?" "Yes, my boy, I know skills. And the highest mantra in the world, that too I know." "Is it possible, sir, to give that to me?" "Yes, my boy, it is possible." "Then give it to me." "It is not the time, my boy, we have entered a house for alms." Then the boy Nāgasena, taking the bowl from the hand of Venerable Rohaṇa, entered the house. With his own hands, he satisfied and served him with choice food, both hard and soft. When Venerable Rohaṇa had eaten, and put down his bowl and hands, he said this: "Give me now, sir, the mantra." "When you, my boy, are free from obstacles, and having obtained permission from your parents, take up the ascetic's garb that I have taken, then I will give it," he said. Then the boy Nāgasena approached his parents and said: "Mother, father, this ascetic says, 'I know the highest mantra in the world.' And he does not give it to one who is not an ascetic in his presence. I will go forth under him and learn that highest mantra." Then his parents, thinking, "Let our son receive the mantra even if he goes forth, he will return again after receiving it," permitted him, saying, "Go forth, my son." 13. Then Venerable Rohaṇa, taking the boy Nāgasena, approached the dwelling called Vattaniya, where Vijambhavatthu was. Having approached, he stayed one night in the dwelling at Vijambhavatthu. Then he approached Rakkhitatala. Having approached, he ordained the boy Nāgasena in the midst of hundreds of millions of Arahants. Then, venerable Nāgasena, having gone forth, said to venerable Rohaṇa: "My lord, I have taken your robe, now give me the teaching." Then venerable Rohaṇa, thinking, "In what should I first train Nāgasena, in Vinaya, or Suttanta, or Abhidhamma?" and thinking, "This Nāgasena is wise, he can easily learn Abhidhamma," first trained him in Abhidhamma. And venerable Nāgasena, the Dhammasaṅgaṇī treatise, adorned with triads and dyads, such as "wholesome states, unwholesome states, indeterminate states," the Vibhaṅga treatise, adorned with eighteen divisions, such as the analysis of aggregates, the Dhātukathā treatise, divided in fourteen ways, beginning with "comprehension, non-comprehension," the Puggalapaññatti treatise, divided in six ways, beginning with "designation of aggregates, designation of sense bases," the Kathāvatthu treatise, divided by compiling a thousand suttas, five hundred suttas on one's own doctrines and five hundred suttas on others' doctrines, the Yamaka treatise, divided in ten ways, beginning with "root yamaka, aggregate yamaka," the Paṭṭhāna treatise, divided in twenty-four ways, beginning with "root condition, object condition"— all that Abhidhamma Piṭaka, having mastered it in a single recitation, said, "Stop, venerable sir, do not recite again, I will recite with just this much." 14. Then venerable Nāgasena approached the hundred million Arahants. Having approached the hundred million Arahants, he said this: "My lords, I will recite in detail all that Abhidhamma Piṭaka, by putting it into these three categories: 'wholesome states, unwholesome states, indeterminate states.'" "Good, Nāgasena, recite!" Then venerable Nāgasena recited in detail the seven treatises for seven months. The earth roared, the deities gave their approval, the Brahmās clapped their hands, divine sandalwood powder and divine coral tree flowers fell into decline. 15. Then a hundred million arahants ordained the Venerable Nāgasena, who was fully twenty years old, in the protected place. And the Venerable Nāgasena, having been ordained, on the morning after that night, having dressed himself, and taking his bowl and robe, entered the village for alms with his preceptor, and he conceived such a thought: “My preceptor is indeed empty, my preceptor is indeed foolish, he first trained me in Abhidhamma, setting aside the rest of the Buddha’s word.” Then the Venerable Rohaṇa, knowing the thought in the mind of the Venerable Nāgasena, said to the Venerable Nāgasena: “You have conceived an inappropriate thought, Nāgasena, and this is not fitting for you, Nāgasena.” Then it occurred to the Venerable Nāgasena: “How wonderful, sirs, how amazing, sirs, that my preceptor should know the thought in my mind! My preceptor is indeed wise! What if I were to ask forgiveness from my preceptor?” Then the Venerable Nāgasena said to the Venerable Rohaṇa: “Forgive me, Venerable sir, I will not think such a thought again.” Then the Venerable Rohaṇa said to the Venerable Nāgasena: “I do not forgive you, Nāgasena, for this alone. There is, Nāgasena, a city called Sāgala, where a king named Milinda rules. He harasses the community of monks by asking questions based on his views. If you go there and subdue that king and make him devoted to the Buddha’s teaching, then I will forgive you.” “Let King Milinda alone, Venerable sir; if, Venerable sir, all the kings in the entire Jambudīpa were to come and question me, I would resolve all of that and make it complete.” Having said, “Forgive me, Venerable sir,” and when it was said, “I do not forgive you,” he said, “Then, Venerable sir, with whom shall I stay for these three months?” “This, Nāgasena, is the Venerable Assagutta, in the practice of he dwells in that dwelling. Go, Nāgasena, to where the venerable Assagutta is. Having approached, in my name, bow your head at the feet of the venerable Assagutta. And say to him thus: 'My preceptor, venerable sir, bows his head at your feet. He asks about your freedom from illness, freedom from affliction, lightness of body, strength, and comfortable living. My preceptor, venerable sir, has sent me to stay with you for this rainy season.' And when asked, 'What is your preceptor's name?' you should say, 'His name is the Elder Rohaṇa, venerable sir.' And when asked, 'What is my name?' you should say, 'My preceptor, venerable sir, knows your name.'" "Yes, venerable sir," the venerable Nāgasena, having saluted the venerable Rohaṇa and circumambulated him clockwise, took his bowl and robe and, wandering by stages, approached the dwelling called Vattaniya, to where the venerable Assagutta was. Having approached, he saluted the venerable Assagutta and stood to one side. Standing to one side, the venerable Nāgasena said this to the venerable Assagutta: "My preceptor, venerable sir, bows his head at your feet. And he says this: He asks about your freedom from illness, freedom from affliction, lightness of body, strength, and comfortable living. My preceptor, venerable sir, has sent me to stay with you for this rainy season." Then the venerable Assagutta said this to the venerable Nāgasena: "What is your name?" "My name is Nāgasena, venerable sir." "What is your preceptor's name?" "My preceptor's name is Rohaṇa, venerable sir." "What is my name?" "My preceptor, venerable sir, knows your name." "Good, Nāgasena, put away your bowl and robe." "Yes, venerable sir," having put away his bowl and robe, the next day he swept the monastery courtyard and prepared face water and a tooth-stick. The Elder re-swept the swept place. He threw away that water and brought other water. And removing that tooth-stick, he took another tooth-stick. and did not converse. Having done thus for seven days, on the seventh day, having asked again, and when he again spoke the same way, he allowed the Rains-residence. 16. Now at that time, a certain great laywoman attended the venerable Assagutta for more than thirty years. Then that great laywoman, after three months, approached where the venerable Assagutta was, and having approached, she said to the venerable Assagutta: "Is there, dear sir, another monk with you?" "Yes, great laywoman, there is a monk named Nāgasena with us." "Then, dear Assagutta, accept a meal for tomorrow with Nāgasena." The venerable Assagutta accepted by silence. Then the venerable Assagutta, after that night, having dressed in the morning, and taking his bowl and robe, with the venerable Nāgasena as his attendant monk, approached the dwelling of the great laywoman, and having approached, sat down on the seat prepared. Then that great laywoman served and satisfied the venerable Assagutta and the venerable Nāgasena with choice hard and soft food with her own hands. Then the venerable Assagutta, when Nāgasena had finished eating and removed his hand from the bowl, said to the venerable Nāgasena: "You, Nāgasena, give the blessing to the great laywoman." Having said this, he rose from his seat and departed. Then that great laywoman said to the venerable Nāgasena: "I am old, dear Nāgasena, give me a profound discourse as a blessing." Then the venerable Nāgasena to that great laywoman gave a profound discourse, a transcendent one connected with emptiness, as a blessing. Then for that great laywoman,