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B020101Pārājikakaṇḍa aṭṭhakathā(grave sins commentary)

English

having satisfied and invited the Elders with delicious hard and soft foods with his own hands, and having summoned the five hundred women led by Queen Anuḷādevī to pay homage and make offerings and show respect to the Elders, sat down to one side. The Elder, at the end of the meal, showering the king and his retinue with the rain of the jewel of Dhamma, recited the Petavatthu, the Vimānavatthu, and the Saccasaṃyutta. Having heard that Dhamma discourse of the Elder, those five hundred women realized the fruit of stream-entry. And those people who had seen the Elders on Missaka Mountain the previous day, were speaking of the virtues of the Elders in various places. Having heard them, a great multitude of people gathered in the royal courtyard and made a great noise. The king asked, “What is that noise?” “The citizens, Your Majesty, are crying out, ‘We cannot see the Elders.’” The king, “If here…” will be crowded, there will be no space," thinking thus, he said, "Go, sirs, prepare the elephant stable, scatter sand, spread five-colored flowers, tie up a cloth canopy, and arrange seats for the Elders at the auspicious elephant's place." The ministers did so. The Elder went there, sat down, and preached the Devadūta Sutta. At the end of the discourse, a thousand beings were established in the fruit of stream-entry. Then, thinking "the elephant stable is too crowded," they arranged a seat at the southern gate, in the Nandanavana garden. The Elder sat there and preached the Āsīvisopama Sutta. Hearing that too, a thousand beings attained the fruit of stream-entry. Thus, on the second day from the day of arrival, the realization of Dhamma occurred for two thousand five hundred. While the Elder was conversing with the noble women, noble daughters-in-law, and noble maidens who came to the Nandanavana, evening time arrived. The Elder, observing the time, arose, saying, "Let us go now to Missaka mountain." The ministers asked, "Where, venerable sir, are you going?" "To our dwelling place," he replied. They informed the king, and with the king's permission, they said, "It is not the time, venerable sir, to go there now; let this Nandanavana garden itself be the dwelling place for the venerable ones." "Enough, let us go," he said. Again, by the king's word, they said, "The king, venerable sir, says: 'This garden named Meghavana, belonging to my father, is not too far and not too near the city, convenient for coming and going. Let the Elders reside here.'" The Elders resided in the Meghavana garden. And the king, after the passing of that night, went to the Elder, inquired about his comfortable rest, and asked, "Is it permissible, venerable sir, for the community of monks to have a park?" The Elder, saying, "It is permissible, great king," recited this sutta: "I allow, monks, a park." The king, pleased, took a golden pitcher, poured water onto the Elder's hand, and gave the great Meghavana garden. With the pouring of water, The earth trembled. This was the first earthquake in the Great Monastery. The king, frightened, asked the Elder, "Why, venerable sir, does the earth tremble?" "Do not fear, great king, the Dispensation of the Ten-Powered One will be established on this island; and this will be the first monastery site, this is its premonition." The king was even more pleased. The Elder, the next day, having eaten at the royal palace, spoke on the beginningless cycle of existence in the Nandana Garden. The next day, he spoke on the Aggikkhandhopama Sutta. In this manner, he spoke for seven days. At the end of the discourse, the comprehension of the Dhamma occurred for nine and a half thousand beings. From then on, the Nandana Garden received the name "Jotivana" (Light-Grove) because it was the place where the Dispensation shone forth. On the seventh day, the Elders, having spoken on the Appamāda Sutta to the king in the inner palace, returned to Cetiyagiri. Then the king asked his ministers, "The Elder has given us a strong admonition; would he perhaps depart?" The ministers said, "Venerable sir, the Elder came by himself, uninvited by you; therefore, it might be that he departs without asking your leave." Then the king, having mounted a chariot and taken the two queens, went to Cetiyagiri with great royal splendor. Having gone there, he made the queens step aside, and approaching the Elders by himself, he appeared extremely weary as he approached. Then the Elder said to him, "Why have you come, great king, so weary?" "To know, venerable sir, 'Have you given me a strong admonition and now wish to depart?'" "We do not wish to depart, great king; but this is the time for the Rains Retreat, great king, and it is proper for a recluse to know the place for the Rains Retreat." On that very day, a minister named Ariṭṭha, standing near the king with fifty-five elder and younger brothers, said, "I wish, O king, to go forth in the presence of the Elders." "Good, my boy, go forth!" The king, having assented, had the Elder accepted. The Elder ordained them that very day. All attained arahantship at the edge of the razor. The king, at that very moment, enclosed the cetiya-courtyard with thorns, commenced work on sixty-two caves, and then returned to the city. Those Elders, having gladdened the royal family crowded with ten brothers, and admonishing the great multitude, dwelt for the rainy season on Cetiyagiri. At that time, too, sixty-two Arahants were the first to enter the rainy season on Cetiyagiri. Then, the Venerable Mahā Mahinda, having completed the rainy season and performed the Pavāraṇā ceremony, on the full moon day of Kattika, the Uposatha day, said to the king: “Great king, the Perfectly Enlightened One has been seen by us for a long time. We have lived without a protector. We wish to go to Jambudīpa.” The king said: “I, Venerable Sir, will attend to you with the four requisites. And this great multitude, relying on you, is established in the three refuges. Why are you discontented?” “The Perfectly Enlightened One, great king, has been seen by us for a long time. There is no place for salutation, rising to greet, performing the añjali, or proper conduct. Therefore, we are discontented.” “Did you not, Venerable Sir, say, ‘The Perfectly Enlightened One has attained final Nibbāna’?” “Although, great king, he has attained final Nibbāna, yet his bodily relics remain.” “It is understood, Venerable Sir, that you desire the establishment of a thūpa. I will make a thūpa, Venerable Sir. Now, choose the ground. Moreover, Venerable Sir, from where shall we obtain the relics?” “Consult with Sumana, great king.” “Very well, Venerable Sir,” the king approached Sumana and asked: “From where, Venerable Sir, shall we now obtain the relics?” Sumana said: “Be unconcerned, great king. Have the streets cleaned, adorned with flags, banners, full pots, and so forth. With your retinue, undertake the Uposatha precept. Have all musical instruments brought forth. Have the auspicious elephant adorned with all ornaments, and a white parasol raised above it. In the evening, from the Mahānāgavanuyyāna…” go facing east. Surely in that place you will obtain relics.” The king assented, saying, “Good.” The Theras went to Cetiyagiri. There, the Venerable Mahinda Thera said to Sumanasāmaṇera: “Go, novice, approach your grandfather, King Asoka, the righteous king, in Jambudīpa, and say this in my name: ‘Your friend, great king, Devānampiyatissa, is devoted to the Buddha’s Dispensation and wishes to establish a stupa. It is said that you have relics in your hand; please give them to me.’ Having taken that, approach Sakka, the king of devas, and say this: ‘It is said, great king, that you have two relics in your hand— the right canine tooth and the right collarbone; therefore, you should venerate the right canine tooth, but give the right collarbone to me.’ And say this to him: ‘Why, great king, having sent us to Tambapaṇṇidīpa, are you negligent?’” “Yes, venerable sir,” Sumanassa assented to the Thera’s words, and immediately taking his bowl and robe, he soared into the air, descended at the gate of Pāṭaliputta, went to the king, and reported this matter. The king, pleased, took the bowl from the novice’s hand, anointed it with perfumes, filled it with relics resembling excellent pearls, and gave it. He took it and approached Sakka, the king of devas. Sakka, the king of devas, as soon as he saw the novice, said, “What, venerable Sumana, are you wandering for?” “You, great king, having sent us to Tambapaṇṇidīpa, why are you negligent?” “I am not negligent, venerable sir. Tell me—‘What shall I do?’” “It is said that you have two relics in your hand— the right canine tooth and the right collarbone; therefore, you should venerate the right canine tooth, but give the right collarbone to me.” “Yes, venerable sir,” Sakka, the lord of devas, opened a jewel stupa a yojana in size, took out the right collarbone relic, and gave it to Sumana. He took it and stood right there on Cetiyagiri. Then Mahinda and the others, headed by him, The great nāgas, having enshrined the relics given by King Asokadhamma on Cetiyagiri itself, took the right collarbone and went to the Mahānāgavana park in the increasing shade. The King, too, having performed the offerings and honors as described by Sumana, mounted on the back of an excellent elephant, himself holding the white parasol over the head of the auspicious elephant, reached Mahānāgavana. Then it occurred to him: "If this is truly the relic of the Perfectly Enlightened One, let the parasol move away, let the auspicious elephant kneel on the ground, let the relic casket rest on my head." Immediately with the king's thought, the parasol moved away, the elephant knelt, the relic casket rested on the king's head. The king, as if his body were anointed with ambrosia, filled with supreme joy and delight, asked: "Venerable Sir, what shall I do with the relic?" "For now, great king, place it on the elephant's forehead."