English
Here, although an opportunity has been found to discuss the appropriateness or inappropriateness of composing or reciting poetic embellishment for recluses and those observing Uposatha, we shall overlook it without speaking, due to the excessive remaining scope for speaking about the lineage of the Dispensation. However, concerning the precept of dancing, singing, and so forth, we have spoken in detail in the Uposatha-vinicchaya. In the Kaliyuga, eight hundred and sixty-three years having passed, in Ratanapura city itself, the king named Sirītribhavanādityanarapatipavaramahādhamma Rājādhipatirājā reigned. During the time of that king, a bhikkhu named Tisasānadhaja learned texts from the Saddhammakitti elder. Then a great elder came from Arimaddana city, thinking, "I will recite for the listeners and then reside in Ratanapura city." Then, sitting below the monastery where the Saddhammakitti elder was reciting texts, that great elder heard the sound and thought thus: "I will learn a small amount of text from him, standing in the position of a novice." said. Then that great elder went to the elder Saddhammakitti and asked for permission to recite the text. Then the elder Saddhammakitti asked about his age and said, "Venerable sir, you are older than I." He said, "Though I am older than you, I will stand in the position of a novice and learn the text." Then the elder Saddhammakitti recited the text to him. Being greatly pleased, he called that great elder by the name of Mahāsādhujjana (Great Virtuous Person). Then afterwards, the country of Maramma, from the year 885 of the Kaliyuga until the year 888, was disturbed by various dangers. At that time, a renegade named Sihanisvā came from the country of Kambojā and seized the kingship in the city of Ratanapūra. Then he thought thus: "Monks, being without wives and children, yet raising disciples and seeking a retinue, if monks were to choose a retinue and assume kingship, then they would be able to seize the kingdom. It is fitting to seize and kill the monks right now." Thinking thus, he had many pavilions built in the forest grove called Tovisīlū, and having had cattle, buffaloes, chickens, and pigs killed, he said, "I will feed the monks." Then he summoned all the great elders with many disciples from the cities of Jeyyapura, Vijayapura, and Ratanapūra, seated them in those pavilions, surrounded them with elephant and horse armies, and killed them. At that time, it is said, about three thousand monks died. And having killed the monks, he also burned many books with fire and demolished stupas. Alas, the evil deed of an evil person! Here it is said: The Dispensation, indeed, depends on kings here; Kings of wrong view corrupt the Teacher's Dispensation. But kings of right view uphold the Dispensation; And thus, in the sky, the owl king shines. Then, when one year and nine hundred years of the Kaliyuga had passed, smoke issued from many stars in the sky. At the Caññiṅkhu stupa From the eye-sockets of the Buddha image, streams of water, like tears, flowed forth, it is said in the Royal Chronicle. Then the Elder Saddhammakitti together with the Elders Mahāsādhujjana and Tisāsanadhaja went to Ketumatī city. It is said in ancient books that the Elder Raṭṭhasāra also went to Sirikhetta city by himself. But this does not agree with the statement in the Royal Chronicle that the king of Sirikhetta city, Satva Varājā, brought him. The Elder Saddhammakitti also passed away in Ketumatī city. After that, a short time having passed, the Elder Mahāsādhujjana also passed away there. But the Elder Tisāsanadhaja, when nine hundred and twelve years had passed in the Kaliyuga, during the time of King Anekasetibhindha in Haṃsāvatī city, went from Ketumatī city to Haṃsāvatī city. After that, having become forty-three years old, when nine hundred and thirteen years had passed in the Kaliyuga, during the time of King Miṅgha Brahmanarapati, he again reached Jeyyapura city. He stayed in a cave near Jetavana Vihāra. He approached the Elder Jetavana, the leader of the great Ariyavaṃsa group. And at that time, the Elder Jetavana, being ill, thought: "When I pass away, my position the Elder named Tisāsanadhaja, who has now come from Haṃsāvatī city, will be able to take over; I will hand it over to him." At that moment, the Elder Tisāsanadhaja had a dream in the first watch of the night: "A dead body is coming near." But in the middle watch: "That dead body is entering the cave." In the last watch: "Someone is cutting the flesh of the dead body with a knife." Then he reported the fact of having seen the dream to a certain novice sleeping near him. And having reported it and recited a protective chant, as he was sitting, the Elder Jetavana called him and handed over Jetavana Vihāra to him. And the Elder Tisāsanadhaja, having sat in Jetavana Vihāra, sat reciting texts. And King Miṅgha Brahmanarapati favored him. he made. Later, when one thousand and sixteen years of the Kaliyuga had passed, King Anekasetibhindo, the ruler of Hamsavati, conquered Ratanapura and built a monastery, which he then gave to him. And that Elder Tisāsanadhaja should be known as belonging to the lineage of Arahants in Arimaddana. His disciples, numbering many hundreds, were modest. Among these disciples, Elder Varabāhu, Elder Garavāsī who lived in the earth-cave, and the three Great Elders who lived in the villages of Mahāraṭṭha—these five Elders were especially skilled in the scriptures. And Elder Tisāsanadhaja, in his old age, took up the meditation on mindfulness of breathing, entered the forest, and found a secluded place. At that time, the Jetavana group and others were indeed of the lineage of Arahants. In a later period, some monks among their successive generations of disciples adopted improper conduct, carrying head coverings and fans adorned with various colors. When one thousand and one years of the Kaliyuga had passed, King Ukkaṃsika built a monastery and gave it to Elder Mahāratanākara, who was a disciple of Elder Varabāhu, who in turn was a disciple of Elder Tisāsanadhaja. And that Elder Mahāratanākara composed a book called "Rajindarājanāmābhidheyyādīpanī," which he adorned with the names and titles of King Ukkaṃsika, such as Sirisudhammarājāmahādhipatī, using the styles of Chandālaṅkāra and Saddanetti. And he entrusted that book to the Great Elder named Tiropabbata for revision. Among the three brother Elders who lived in the villages of Mahāraṭṭha, who were disciples of Elder Tisāsanadhaja, the eldest, dwelling in the thirty caves, taught the scriptures and then settled down. King Satvavarājā was extremely pleased with that Elder. During the time of King Ññoṅkarami, his uncle also built a monastery and gave it to him. During the time of King Ukkaṃsika, he also built a monastery on the mountain called Maṅgavaṃ and gave it to him. Among those Elders who lived in the villages of Mahāraṭṭha, the middle Elder also, Tisāsanadhaja He sat down after reciting the text in the Jetavana monastery, which was the dwelling place of Thera Ajatthera and his elder brother. The younger thera also sat down after reciting the text in the monasteries that were their dwelling places. Here, the Thera Tisāsanadhaja is of two kinds, due to shame and shamelessness. The thera mentioned above should be understood as shameful. The shameless one, however, is not desired in this succession of theras. We shall omit the story of the shameless Thera Tisāsanadhaja here, as there is no purpose, and it would lead to an expansion of the text. During the time of King Yogiraṅga, the Mahāthera residing in Suvaṇṇaguhā in Jayapura, the Mahāthera residing in Dakkhiṇārāma monastery, the Mahāthera residing in Catubhūmika monastery, and the Mahāthera residing in Toṅgabhīlū monastery were all disciples of the Mahāthera Tisāsanadhaja. We do not relate their stories either, for fear of expanding the text. It is sufficient to know that they belong to the lineage of the shameful. In the Kaliyuga, when nine hundred and sixty-one years had passed, on the second day of the bright fortnight of the month of Phagguna, on a Friday, King Yogiraṅga reigned, having rebuilt the city of Ratanapūra for the second time. He also adopted the royal title Sīhasūradhammarājā. He had the Catubhūmika monastery built for the Mahāthera residing in Tocabhīlū monastery. He also had four great Buddha stupas built. While the monastery and stupas were still unfinished, he departed from Sinnī city, and after pacifying a conflict there, he passed away on his return, unable to transcend the nature of formations. Alas, such is the nature of formations! Here it is said: Just as a merchant's house-dwelling form, having wandered in various directions, places its head to the north; So too, beings in the world, between rebirth and death, having wandered in various ways, finally place their peace. In the Kaliyuga, when nine hundred and sixty-seven years had passed, on the thirteenth day of the dark fortnight of the month of Phagguna, his eldest son, his father's property... He took the kingship. He accepted the title of Mahādhammarājā. He had the cetiyas, unfinished during his father's time, rebuilt. And having completed the four-storied monastery, since the great elder Tovibhīlū had passed away and was no longer present, he had the inner palace summoned, saying, "I will give it to the great elder residing in the four-storied monastery." Though the elder was summoned twice, he did not come. But on the third occasion, many of his co-residents went to the inner palace and said, "Enter, for it is not possible to refuse when summoned by the king." Then the elder spoke thus: "Friends, I do not wish to partake of alms that oppress the country. Even so, if you wish to go to the king, then now I will go to the king." And he entered the inner palace. Having entered and conversed with the king,