English
which had been found in the hollow of a Pāṭali tree, right where it was found. And that place is known to this day as the “place of burning.” And the elder taught the Vimāna-vatthu to the king. The king, pleased, brought him back from Sirikhetta city to Arimaddana city. Now, this is the reason for the book found in the hollow of the Pāṭali tree: Among those young ascetics, there was one who was skilled in stratagem. He made a book according to his own doctrine, placed it in the hollow of a thirty-two cubit Pāṭali tree in Sirikhetta city, repeatedly moistened it with water, plastered it with clay, and then made the bark grow back. Then they raised a clamor, saying, “We see in a dream that there is a substantial book in the Pāṭali tree, full of meaning and expression!” Hearing that, the king went to Sirikhetta city, broke open that Pāṭali tree, and searching, found that book. In the book, according to their own doctrine, it was stated by such reasons as: “The asceticism of young ascetics is like this, these are disciples of Gotama, their practice alone is the path to heaven.” The king, pleased, gave many gifts to the young ascetics. Afterwards, having heard the elder’s Dhamma talk, he burned it. Thus, having heard the words of the young ascetics, the city of Sirikhetta… Having gone, Returning to Arimaddana city, He brought the Elder. This should be understood. When he arrived At Arimaddana city, He had a monastery Named Jetavana built And gave it. And the Elder, Having purified the Dispensation there, Resided. The king daily Brought water. The chief queen, however, Daily brought alms food And fed him. Even when doubts arose, He inquired about Those doubtful points. This, however, Is the origin Of the lineage Of the Dispensation: Indeed, in Sudhamma City, The Elder named Anomadassī, Who had attained meditative absorptions, Resided with five hundred monks, Following the lineage Of the Elders Soṇuttara. His chief disciple Was named Adhisīla. His chief disciple Was named Prānadassī. His chief disciple Was named Kāḷa. His chief disciple Was named Arahanta. His chief disciple Was named Ariyavaṃsa. And this saying: "Who then is this Great Elder Uttarājīva?" Indeed, this Elder, A son of the Ramañña country, Was a disciple Of Elder Ariyavaṃsa. Elder Ariyavaṃsa, however, Was a disciple Of the Great Elder Mahākāḷa, A resident of Kappuṅga City. He, however, Was a disciple Of the Great Elder Prānadassī, A resident of Sudhamma City. This does not accord With the words stated In the Kalyāṇī Inscription. Even so, It should be understood That the desired meaning Is not lost. Thus, even though The views of various teachers Appear in various ways, It should not be disregarded, Considering that the establishment Of the Dispensation By the Elder Arahanta In Arimaddana City, Having supported it, Is the authority here. Indeed, in the view Of all teachers, The meaning that The Elder Arahanta Came to Arimaddana City And established the Dispensation Is indeed to be desired. The Elder Arahanta, however, Known by his original name Dhammadassī, Was a disciple Of Elder Sīlabuddhi, A resident of Sudhamma City. This should be understood. And that Elder, Even before his ordination, Was skilled In the four Vedas. Having ordained, however, He mastered the Three Piṭakas, Including the commentaries, And having gone to the other shore, He became renowned everywhere. People brought him To Sokkataya City And honored him. There, for ten years He, having dwelt there, again came to Sudhammapura and undertook forest dwelling. After that, when the Victor's era had reached 1561, and the Kaliyuga had reached 379, King Anuruddha attained the kingship. At that time, in Arimaddana City, pseudo-ascetics, saying "We are disciples of Gotama," sat down in groups of thirty each. By groups, it was indeed about a thousand. And King Anuruddha, having heard about the household-like celibacy and so on of those pseudo-ascetics, was not pleased. Even so, he did not abandon the traditional offerings. But having seen the Arahant Elder, from then on, having broken the fixed practices of those pseudo-ascetics, he became pleased with the Dispensation. This, in the Maramma region, in the country of Tambadīpa, in Arimaddana City, due to the Arahant. The Elder by name, was the third establishment of the Dispensation. And at that time, the Arahant Elder said to King Anuruddha: "Among the three dispensations, only when the Dispensation of Learning stands, does the Dispensation of Practice stand. Only when the Dispensation of Practice stands, does the Dispensation of Penetration stand. Just as, even if hundreds or thousands of cattle exist, if there is no cow to continue the lineage, that lineage, that tradition, does not continue. Even so, even if hundreds or thousands of monks observing ascetic practices exist, if the Learning disappears, there is no Penetration. But just as, for the purpose of knowing treasure jars, when letters are placed on a stone slab, as long as the letters endure, so long are the treasure jars not considered lost. Even so, as long as the Learning endures, the Dispensation is not considered to have disappeared. And just as, when the embankment of a great pond is firm, it cannot be said that water will not stand. When there is water, it cannot be said that lotus and other flowers will not bloom. Even so, when the Tipiṭaka, the Buddha's word, is present, like the firm embankment of a great pond, it cannot be said that there are no noble sons who fulfill the practice, like water. When they are present, it cannot be said that there is no penetration, like lotus and other flowers." Thus, the scriptures alone are the measure. Therefore, even if there are two Pātimokkhas, the Dispensation is not interrupted. When the scriptures are interrupted, even for one who is well-practiced, there is no realization of the Dhamma. Only when it is not interrupted, is there realization of the Dhamma. Even now, our scriptural Dispensation is not complete, and there are no bodily relics. Therefore, where the scriptural Dispensation and bodily relics exist, a messenger should be sent with gifts to bring them. Thus, the Dispensation of the Victor will be established in our country for a long time. "But, Venerable Sir, where shall we ask?" "In the country of Suvaṇṇabhūmi, Mahārāja, in Sudhammapura, the Tipiṭaka was written and kept three times. And many bodily relics are there." The king, accepting with "So be it, Venerable Sir," prepared many gifts, wrote a royal letter, and sent an minister, endowed with eight qualities, as a messenger. King Manohari, the lord of Sudhammapura, being of a stingy mind, said: "It is not proper to send the Tipiṭaka and bodily relics to a place of wrong-viewers like you. For the Dispensation of the Perfectly Enlightened One, the foremost of the three worlds, will be established only in the place of right-viewers, just as the fat of a lion king is kept only in a golden bowl, not in an earthen vessel." The messengers returned and reported the matter to King Anuruddha. Hearing that, King Anuruddha became angry. He crackled like sesame seeds thrown into a hot pan. Then the king, by river route, with one hundred eighty thousand boats, and eight crores of sailor-warriors, arrayed his army. And by land route, with four great warrior-chiefs, eighty thousand elephants, one hundred ninety thousand horses, and eighty crores of warriors, he arrayed his army, and went to Sudhammapura himself to fight. Hearing that, King Manohari, trembling with fear, arranged his many warriors and sat in Sudhammapura itself, forming a counter-army. Then, then Though repeatedly trying by means of practices from the Atharva Veda, it was not possible to approach the city's base. Then the king asked the knowers of the Vedas, "Why is it not possible to approach the city's base here?" The knowers of the Vedas said, "O great king, there is, we believe, a ritual of the Atharva Veda." Then the king, having buried a dead body in the earth, and having dug it up, threw it into the great ocean. Indeed, a certain person was made to be eaten by a worm named Jeṅgu of the Hindu caste, and having killed him, taking his hands, feet, and other limbs, having cut them into pieces, they were buried and placed in the earth around the city. Then, however, it was possible to approach the city. And having entered the city, King Anuruddha captured King Manohari alive. In Sudhamma City, according to the tradition of ancient kings, placed in a jewel casket and worshipped, he took the Three Piṭakas along with the relics, and having loaded them onto the backs of thirty-two elephants belonging to King Manohari, he brought them. But having reached Arimaddana City, he placed the relics in a jewel casket, and placed them near the head-rest on a jeweled couch in the royal bedchamber. He also placed the Three Piṭakas in a jeweled palace, and entrusted them to the community of monks for the purpose of learning and memorization. Indeed, from that, about a thousand noble ones learned the brought Three Piṭakas. Having conquered Sudhamma City, and having brought the community of monks along with the Piṭakas, the establishment of the Dispensation, in the era of the Conqueror, one thousand six hundred and one years, and in the Kali Yuga, four hundred and sixteen years, is stated in the stone inscriptions. In the time of King Anuruddha, due to the power of merit and the completeness of the Three Jewels, the name "Puṇṇagāma" (Full Village) came to be. After a long time had passed, by means of the elision of the 'ṇṇ' sound, and by means of the 'm' sound becoming a nasalization (niggahita), it came to be called "Pugam" in the Myanmar language, as stated in the future royal lineages. King Anuruddha himself sent four great warriors to the island of Sri Lanka, and from there also brought the Three Piṭakas. The arahant elder compared and contrasted the three Pitakas brought from Sri Lanka