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reborn into a faithless, unbelieving family, became blind due to his family, and reviled and abused the Tathāgata. Just as, O great king, a great mass of fire, blazing and burning, with its radiance, when it encounters water, has its splendor and energy destroyed, becomes cold and black, like a ripe Vitex negundo fruit; even so, O great king, Jotipāla the youth, meritorious, faithful, with vast, radiant wisdom... Born into a faithless, displeased family, he, blind by family custom, reviled and abused the Tathāgata. But having approached and understood the Buddha's qualities, he became like a servant. Having gone forth in the Victor's Dispensation, and having developed supernormal powers and attainments, he became one who goes to the Brahma-world." "Excellent, Venerable Nāgasena, I accept it just so." The Sixth Question concerning Chaddanta and Jotipaāla. 7. The Question concerning Ghaṭikāra. 7. "Venerable Nāgasena, it was said by the Blessed One: 'The dwelling of Ghaṭikāra the potter, though open to the sky, stood for three months without the sky raining upon it.' And again it was said: 'The hut of Kassapa the Tathāgata leaked.' Why then, Venerable Nāgasena, does the hut of a Tathāgata, who has such abundant roots of merit, leak? Should not such power be desired by a Tathāgata? If, Venerable Nāgasena, the dwelling of Ghaṭikāra the potter, though open to the sky, did not leak, then the saying 'the Tathāgata's hut leaks' is false. If the Tathāgata's hut leaks, then the saying 'Ghaṭikāra the potter's dwelling, though open to the sky, did not leak' is also false. This two-horned question has come to you; it must be resolved by you." "It was indeed said, great king, by the Blessed One: 'The dwelling of Ghaṭikāra the potter, though open to the sky, stood for three months without the sky raining upon it.' And it was also said: 'The hut of Kassapa the Tathāgata leaked.' Ghaṭikāra, great king, the potter, was virtuous, of good conduct, with abundant roots of merit, and he supported his blind, aged parents. Without his presence, and without asking him, they took grass from his house and thatched the Blessed One's hut. By that taking of grass, he attained unshakeable, unwavering, well-established, vast, incomparable joy, and even greater happiness..." and produced an incomparable joy, thinking, 'Oh, my Lord, the Buddha, is the supreme one in the world, most trustworthy!' By that, a visible result was produced for him. For, O great king, the Tathāgata is not disturbed by such a slight alteration. "Just as, O great king, Mount Sineru, the king of mountains, is not shaken or moved even by the impact of hundreds of thousands of winds; just as the great ocean, the best and supreme sea, is not filled or altered even by hundreds of thousands of great Ganges rivers, each with hundreds of thousands of tributaries; even so, O great king, the Tathāgata is not disturbed by such a slight alteration. "But, O great king, that the Tathāgata's hut leaks, that is out of compassion for the great multitude of people. There are these two reasons, O great king, seeing which Tathāgatas do not accept a self-created offering: 'This teacher is worthy of the foremost offering,' thinking that by giving an offering to the Blessed One, gods and humans will be freed from all suffering; and 'lest others should criticize them,' showing that they seek their livelihood. Seeing these two reasons, Tathāgatas do not accept a self-created offering. If, O great king, Sakka or Brahmā were to make that hut not leak, or if they themselves were to do so, that very act would be blameworthy, faulty, and censurable, as if they were adorning themselves and deluding the world, doing something excessive. Therefore, that act is to be avoided. O great king, Tathāgatas do not beg for things; by not begging for things, they remain beyond reproach." "Excellent, venerable Nāgasena, I accept it as such." The Seventh Question on Ghaṭikāra. 8. The Question on the Brāhmaṇa and King's Statement 8. "Venerable Nāgasena, it was said by the Tathāgata, 'I am, monks, a brāhmaṇa, fit to be begged from.' And again it was said, 'I am a king, O Sela.' If, venerable Nāgasena, the Blessed One said, 'I am, monks, a brāhmaṇa, fit to be begged from,' then that statement, 'I am a king, O Sela,' is false. If the Tathāgata said, 'I am a king, O Sela,' O Sela! Then, "I am, monks, a brahmin fit to receive offerings"— that statement is also false. For whether one be a warrior or a brahmin, there are not two castes from one birth. This two-edged problem has come to you; it must be resolved by you. This too, O Great King, was spoken by the Blessed One: "I am, monks, a brahmin fit to receive offerings." And again it was said: "I am a king, O Sela!" There is a reason for that, by which reason the Tathāgata is both a brahmin and a king. What then, Venerable Nāgasena, is that reason, by which reason the Tathāgata is both a brahmin and a king? All evil, unwholesome states, O Great King, have been expelled, abandoned, removed, eradicated, cut off, exhausted, reached their end, extinguished, calmed by the Tathāgata. Therefore, the Tathāgata is called 'brahmin'. A brahmin is one who has gone beyond doubt, uncertainty, the path of perplexity. The Blessed One too, O Great King, has gone beyond doubt, uncertainty, the path of perplexity. For that reason, the Tathāgata is called 'brahmin'. A brahmin is one who has emerged from all existences, destinations, and births, freed from defilement and dust, without companions. The Blessed One too, O Great King, has emerged from all existences, destinations, and births, freed from defilement and dust, without companions. For that reason, the Tathāgata is called 'brahmin'. Brahmins are abundant in excellent, supreme, foremost, divine abidings. The Blessed One too, O Great King, is abundant in excellent, supreme, foremost, divine abidings. For that reason too, the Tathāgata is called 'brahmin'. A brahmin is one who upholds the tradition and lineage of study, teaching, receiving gifts, self-control, restraint, and discipline, as previously instructed. The Blessed One too, O Great King, upholds the tradition and lineage of study, teaching, receiving gifts, self-control, restraint, and discipline, as practiced and instructed by previous conquerors. For that reason too, the Tathāgata is called 'brahmin'. A brahmin is one who meditates the meditation of the divine blissful abiding. The Blessed One too, O Great King, meditates the meditation of the divine blissful abiding. For that reason too, the Tathāgata is called 'Brahmin'. "A Brahmin, knows the course of birth and existence in all states of being and non-being. The Blessed One too, O Great King, knows the course of birth and existence in all states of being and non-being. For that reason too, the Tathāgata is called 'Brahmin'." "The name 'Brahmin', O Great King, is not given to the Blessed One by his mother, nor by his father, nor by his brother, nor by his sister, nor by friends and ministers, nor by relatives and kinsmen, nor by recluses and brahmins, nor by deities. This is a name of ultimate liberation for the Buddhas, the Blessed Ones. It is a true designation, manifested and arisen immediately upon the attainment of omniscience, having vanquished the army of Māra at the root of the Bodhi tree, and having expelled evil, unwholesome states of the past, future, and present. That is 'Brahmin'. For that reason, the Tathāgata is called 'Brahmin'." "But for what reason, Venerable Nāgasena, is the Tathāgata called 'King'?" "A King, O Great King, is one who rules a kingdom, who governs the world. The Blessed One too, O Great King, rules a kingdom by Dhamma over ten thousand world-systems. He governs the world with its devas, with its Māras, with its Brahmās, with its recluses and brahmins, with its devas and humans. For that reason too, the Tathāgata is called 'King'." "A King, O Great King, having overcome all people and humans, delighting his kinsmen, grieving his enemies, raises a great, glorious, firm, strong-staffed, adorned with a hundred flawless spokes, white, pure, royal parasol. The Blessed One too, O Great King, grieving the army of Māra, who are wrongly practicing, delighting devas and humans, who are rightly practicing, raises over ten thousand world-systems a great, glorious, firm, strong-staffed patience, adorned with a hundred excellent spokes of wisdom, the supreme, excellent, white, pure, royal parasol of liberation. For that reason too, the Tathāgata is called 'King'." "A King, moreover..." is revered by many who have attained prosperity. The Blessed One, too, great king, is revered by many devas and humans who have attained prosperity. For that reason, too, the Tathāgata is called 'King'. A king, having been pleased with any supplicant, grants the desired boon and satisfies them with their wishes. The Blessed One, too, great king, having been pleased with any supplicant by body, speech, or mind, grants the supreme boon, the complete release from all suffering, and satisfies them with the unsurpassed boon of all wishes. For that reason, too, the Tathāgata is called 'King'. A king rebukes, burns, and destroys one who transgresses his command. From the Blessed One, too, great king, one who transgresses the command in his supreme teaching, being shameless, is despised, scorned, and rebuked with a downcast mind, and is expelled from the supreme teaching of the Victor. For that reason, too, the Tathāgata is called 'King'. A king, having illuminated what is dhamma and what is not dhamma according to the tradition and instruction of former righteous kings, ruling the kingdom righteously, is desired, loved, and longed for by the people. He establishes the royal lineage for a long time by the power of his virtuous dhamma. The Blessed One, too, great king, having illuminated what is dhamma and what is not dhamma according to the tradition and instruction of former self-born ones,