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there were five hundred elders. Then it occurred to the elder bhikkhus: "Where indeed should we recite the Dhamma and Vinaya?" Then it occurred to the elder bhikkhus: "Rājagaha is a great resort, with abundant lodging; what if we, residing in Rājagaha during the rainy season, were to recite the Dhamma and Vinaya, and no other bhikkhus should enter Rājagaha for the rainy season?" Why did this occur to them? "This is our firm act; some unsuitable person might enter the midst of the Saṅgha and cause disruption." Then the venerable Mahākassapa made an announcement with a motion followed by a resolution; that should be understood in the manner stated in the Saṅgīti Khandhaka. Then, after seven days of proper celebration and seven days of relic veneration had passed since the Tathāgata's final passing away, "Half a month has passed, Now, with a month and a half of summer remaining, and the rains retreat approaching, the Elder Mahākassapa, thinking, "Friends, let us go to Rājagaha," took half the Sangha and went by one road. The Elder Anuruddha also took half and went by another road. But the Elder Ānanda, taking the Buddha's bowl and robe, surrounded by the Sangha, went to Sāvatthī, and desiring to go to Rājagaha, set out on a journey from Sāvatthī. Wherever the Elder Ānanda went, there was great lamentation— "Venerable Ānanda, where have you left the Teacher and come?" Gradually, when the Elder arrived in Sāvatthī, there was great lamentation, as if it were the day of the Buddha's Parinibbāna. Thereupon, the Venerable Ānanda, calming that great multitude with a Dhamma talk connected with impermanence and so forth, entered Jetavana, opened the door of the Perfumed Chamber where the Ten-Powered One had resided, took out the couch and chair, shook them out, swept the Perfumed Chamber, discarded the withered garlands and rubbish, brought back the couch and chair, and placed them back in their original positions, performing all the duties that were to be done when the Buddha was alive. Then, the Elder, due to much standing and sitting since the Buddha's Parinibbāna, had an excess of humors in his body; to soothe it, on the second day, he drank a milk purgative and remained seated in the monastery. Regarding this, he said to the young man sent by Subha the brahmin: "It is not the time, young man; today I have taken a dose of medicine. Perhaps we can visit tomorrow." (Dī. Ni. 1.447) On the second day, going with the Elder Cetaka as his attendant, he was questioned by Subha the brahmin and delivered the tenth discourse in the Dīgha Nikāya, called the Subha Sutta. Then, the Elder had the dilapidated parts of Jetavana monastery repaired, and with the rains retreat approaching, he went to Rājagaha. Similarly, the Elder Mahākassapa and the Elder Anuruddha also took the entire Sangha and went to Rājagaha. At that time, the king There were eighteen great monasteries in the country. All of them were abandoned, fallen, and ruined. For after the Buddha's Parinibbāna, all the monks took their bowls and robes, and abandoned the monasteries and their precincts, and went away. There, the elders, to honor the Buddha's words and to refute the views of other sects, thought, "First, let us repair the broken and dilapidated parts." For the sectarians might say, "While the ascetic Gotama was alive, his disciples maintained the monasteries, but when he passed away, they abandoned them." It is said that they thought this to refute their views. It is also said: "Then it occurred to the elder monks: 'Friends, the Buddha praised the repair of broken and dilapidated parts. Come, friends, let us first repair the broken and dilapidated parts for a month. In the middle month, we will assemble and recite the Dhamma and Vinaya.'" (Cūḷava. 438) On the second day, they went and stood at the royal gate. King Ajātasattu came, bowed, and asked, "What, Bhantes, have you come for?" He inquired about the task he was to perform. The elders reported the need for manual labor to repair the eighteen great monasteries. "Good, Bhantes," the king said, and provided men to do the manual labor. The elders had all the monasteries repaired for the first month and then informed the king: "The repair of the monasteries is finished, Great King. Now we will compile the Dhamma and Vinaya." "Good, Bhantes, do it with confidence. Let my wheel be the wheel of command, and yours the wheel of Dhamma. Command, Bhantes, what shall I do?" "A place for the monks to assemble, Great King, who are compiling the Dhamma." "Where shall I make it, Bhantes?" "It is fitting to make it at the entrance of the Sattapaṇṇi Cave, on the side of Mount Vebhāra, Great King." "Good, Bhantes," King Ajātasattu then, like something created by Visakamma, with well-divided walls, pillars, and stairs, and various kinds of flower garlands having caused to be made a pavilion whose beauty of ornamentation was as if overcoming the splendor of a royal palace, as if mocking the glory of a divine mansion, as if a dwelling place of fortune, as if a unique bathing place for the birds of the eyes of gods and humans, as if the loveliness of the world was gathered together, a circle of the essence of what is to be seen; and having adorned it like a divine mansion, with beautiful canopies hanging down and flowing out from various flower garlands, and with a ground surface like a jeweled floor, adorned with various flowers and offerings; in that great pavilion, having arranged five hundred priceless and suitable coverings for five hundred monks, and having arranged the elder’s seat to the north, leaning on the south side, and the Dharma seat suitable for the Blessed Buddha in the middle of the pavilion, facing east, and having placed a fan inlaid with ivory there, he announced to the community of monks: “My task, venerable sirs, is finished.” Now at that time, some monks, referring to Venerable Ānanda, spoke thus: “In this community of monks, one monk is wandering about emitting a putrid smell.” The elder, hearing that, was agitated, thinking: “In this community of monks, there is no other monk who wanders about emitting a putrid smell; surely they are speaking referring to me.” Some monks said to Venerable Ānanda: “Tomorrow, friend, there is an assembly, and you are a trainee, with something yet to be done; therefore, it is not proper for you to go to the assembly. Be heedful!” Then Venerable Ānanda, thinking: “Tomorrow there is an assembly, and it is not proper for me, being a trainee, to go to the assembly,” spent much of the night with mindfulness of the body. At dawn, he descended from the walking path, entered the monastery, and inclined his body, thinking: “I will lie down.” His two feet were lifted from the ground, and his head had not yet reached the pillow. In that interval, his mind was liberated from the defilements, without clinging. For this venerable one, having spent time outside on the walking path, had not yet attained special insight. Unable to achieve it, he thought – "Did not the Blessed One say to me – 'You are one who has done good deeds, Ānanda, devote yourself to exertion; quickly you will be free from defilements' (Dī. Ni. 2.207). And there is no fault in the words of Buddhas. My excessive exertion, by that my mind leads to agitation. Come now, I will apply the calming of exertion." Descending from the walking path, standing at the place for washing feet, washing his feet, entering the monastery, sitting on a couch, thinking "I will rest a little," he laid his body on the couch. His two feet were off the ground, and his head had not reached the pillow. In that interval, his mind was liberated from defilements without clinging, and the Elder's Arahantship occurred, free from the four postures. Therefore, in this Dispensation, when it is asked, "Which monk attained Arahantship without lying down, without sitting, without standing, without walking?" it is proper to say, "Elder Ānanda." Then, the Elder monks, on the second day, having finished their meal duties, putting away their bowls and robes, assembled in the Dhamma hall. But Elder Ānanda, wishing to make known his attainment of Arahantship, did not go with the monks. The monks, according to seniority, sitting on their respective appointed seats, sat down leaving a seat for Elder Ānanda. There, when some asked, "Whose seat is this?" it was said, "It is Elder Ānanda's." "But where has Ānanda gone?" At that time, the Elder thought – "Now is the time for me to go." Then, showing his power, he plunged into the earth and appeared on his own seat. Some say he came through the air and sat down. When that Venerable One was thus seated, Elder Mahākassapa addressed the monks – "Friends, what shall we recite first, the Dhamma or the Vinaya?" The monks said – "Venerable Mahākassapa, the Vinaya is the life of the Buddha's Dispensation; when the Vinaya stands, the Dispensation stands; therefore, let us recite the Vinaya first." "Making whom the leader?" "Venerable Upāli." "What about Ānanda n is he not able? No, he is not unable; but the Perfectly Self-Enlightened One, while still living, established the Venerable Upāli as foremost in this regard, relying on the Vinaya teachings: ‘Among my bhikkhu disciples, those who are Vinaya-holders, Upāli is the foremost’ (A.N. 1.219, 228). Therefore, let us ask the Elder Upāli and recite the Vinaya.” Then the Elder appointed himself to question the Vinaya. The Elder Upāli also appointed himself to answer. This is the Pāli text: “Then the Venerable Mahākassapa informed the Saṅgha: “May the Saṅgha hear me, friends. If it is agreeable to the Saṅgha, I shall question Upāli about the Vinaya.” “The Venerable Upāli also informed the Saṅgha: “May the Saṅgha hear me, sirs. If it is agreeable to the Saṅgha, I shall answer, being questioned about the Vinaya by the Venerable Mahākassapa.” Having thus appointed themselves, the Venerable Upāli rose from his seat, arranged his outer robe over one shoulder,