English
Now, the occasion has arisen to speak of the discourse on the Dispensation in the island of Sihala, therefore I shall speak of it. Indeed, the island of Sihala, being the place where the Dispensation was established, is like a relic chamber. It is said that the Perfectly Enlightened One visited the island of Sihala three times even during his lifetime. First, to subdue the yakkhas, he went alone and, having subdued the yakkhas, he declared that after his Parinibbāna, the Dispensation would be established in the island of Sihala. While providing protection for the island of Tambapaṇṇi, he drew the island towards him three times. Secondly, to subdue the nāgarājas, who were maternal uncle and nephew, he went alone and, having subdued them, he departed. Thirdly, accompanied by five hundred bhikkhus, he went and sat in absorption in the attainment of cessation at the site of the Mahācetiya, at the site of the Thūpārāma-cetiya, at the site where the Mahābodhi was established, at the site of the Mahiyaṅgaṇa-cetiya, at the site of the Mudiṅgaṇa-cetiya, at the site of the Dīghavāpi-cetiya, and at the site of the Kalyāṇiya-cetiya. At that time, the Dispensation was not yet firmly established. But afterwards, by the elder Mahāmoggaliputtatissa, who was firmly established in the aforementioned lineage of elders, Mahinda Thera, sent by the king, arrived in the Lion Island in the second month of Kattika, when two hundred and thirty-five years of the Buddha's era had passed, together with these theras: Iṭṭiya, Uttiya, Sambala, and Bhaddasāla. Soṇuttara Thera and others, in the very same second month of Kattika, when two hundred and thirty-five years of the Buddha's era had passed, went to their respective places, which were their assigned tasks, for the establishment of the Dispensation. But Mahā Mahinda Thera, having waited for seven months, arrived in the Lion Island for the establishment of the Dispensation on the full moon day of Jeṭṭha, when two hundred and thirty-six years of the Buddha's era had passed. Therefore, among those nine places, he arrived in the Lion Island in the two hundred and thirty-sixth year. But the other eight places were reached in the two hundred and thirty-fifth year; this should be understood as distinct. Why did Mahā Mahinda Thera wait for seven months and go to the Lion Island last of all? In the Lion Island, the king named Muṭasiva was old and weak, unable to uphold the Dispensation. But his son, Prince Devānaṃpiyatissa, was young and would be able to uphold the Dispensation. And so, Devānaṃpiyatissa should first obtain the kingship. "I will first see my relatives with my mother in Vedissakagiri city." Having considered this, Mahā Mahinda Thera, having waited for seven months, went to the Lion Island in the two hundred and thirty-sixth year of the Buddha's era; this should be understood. Mahā Mahinda Thera, together with Iṭṭiya and the other four theras, his nephew Sumanasamaṇera, and the lay follower named Bhaṇḍuka, on the full moon day of Jeṭṭha, when two hundred and thirty-six years of the Buddha's era had passed, like golden swans, ascended into the sky in Jeṭṭha and alighted on the peak of Missaka mountain, to the east of Anurādhapura, by means of the sky path. And on the full moon day of Jeṭṭha, in the island of Laṅkā, there was the Jeṭṭhamūla constellation festival, and people celebrated. Therefore, it is said in the Vinaya Ṭīkā named Sāratthadīpanī, It is said that on the full moon day of Jeṭṭha, there is the Jeṭṭha constellation, or the Mūla constellation. And it should be understood that the full moon constellation mentioned there is according to the method of considering the full moon constellation at the time of the king. King Devānaṃpiya Tissa, having proclaimed a constellation festival, and ordered his ministers to arrange a celebration, departed from the city with forty thousand men as his retinue, and headed towards Missaka mountain, desiring to play a hunting game. Then, a deity residing on that mountain, in the form of a deer, lured the king, called him, and brought him before the Elder. The Elder, seeing the king approaching, wished, "May the king see me alone, not others," and said, "Tissa, Tissa, come here!" The king, hearing that, thought, "No human born on this island is capable of addressing me by the name Tissa. But this one, wearing different robes, dressed in ochre garments, addresses me by name. Who could this be? A human or a non-human?" The Elder said, "We are ascetics, great king, disciples of the Dhamma King; Out of compassion for you, we have come here from Jambudīpa." At that time, King Devānaṃpiya Tissa had been consecrated for one month with the anointing sent by King Asoka. Indeed, they had performed his consecration on the Visākha full moon day. Recalling the news of the teaching, connected with the virtues of the Triple Gem, which had been recently heard among the Dhamma gifts sent by King Asoka, when he heard the Elder's words, "We are ascetics, great king, disciples of the Dhamma King," he thought, "Have the Venerables arrived?" Immediately, he laid down his weapons and sat down to one side, engaging in a friendly conversation. As it is said, He laid down his weapons, and sat down to one side; Having sat down, the king conversed, much to his benefit. While he was engaged in friendly conversation, those forty thousand men also arrived and surrounded him. Then the Elder showed the other six people. The king, seeing them, said, "When did these arrive?" "With me." Very much so, great king. But now, are there other such ascetics in Jambudīpa? Yes, great king, Jambudīpa at present is a lamp of the age, a shelter from the wind of hermits. In it— Possessing the three knowledges, endowed with psychic powers, skilled in mind-reading; Destroyed are their defilements, they are Arahants, many are the Buddha's disciples. Venerable sir, how did you come? Not by water, great king, nor by land. The king understood that they had come through the air. The Elder, wishing to test whether the king had any quick wit, asked a question concerning a nearby mango tree: What is the name of this tree, great king? It is called a mango tree, venerable sir. But great king, besides this mango, are there other mangoes or not? Yes, venerable sir, there are many other mango trees. And besides this mango and those mangoes, are there other trees, great king? Yes, venerable sir, but they are not mango trees. And besides other mangoes and non-mangoes, are there any other trees? This very mango tree, venerable sir. Excellent, great king, you are wise. Are there relatives of yours, great king? Yes, venerable sir, many people. Besides them, are there any strangers, great king? Strangers, venerable sir, are more numerous than relatives. And besides your relatives and strangers, is there anyone else, great king? Only I myself, venerable sir. Excellent, great king, the self is neither a relative nor a stranger to oneself. Then the Elder, seeing the king was wise and capable of understanding the Dhamma, recited the Cūḷahatthipadopama Sutta. At the end of the discourse, the king took refuge in the three jewels together with forty thousand living beings. Thereafter, whatever needs to be said, should be understood in the manner described in the Samantapāsādikā and other texts. Thus, in the island of Sihala, the lineage of disciples who came from the Elder Mahinda, who supported the Dispensation, are numerous, exceeding the path of counting. How? The disciple of the Great Elder Mahinda was an Elder named Ariṭṭha. His disciple was Tissadatta. His disciple was Kāḷasumana. His disciple was Dīgha. His disciple was Dīgha. Sumana, his disciple Kāla-Sumana, his disciple Nāga, his disciple Buddharakkhita, his disciple Tissa, his disciple Reva, his disciple Sumana, his disciple Cūḷanāga, his disciple Dhammapāli, his disciple Khema, his disciple Upalissa, his disciple Phussadeva, his disciple Sumana, his disciple Mahāpaduma, his disciple Mahāsīva, his disciple Upāli, his disciple Mahānāga, his disciple Abhaya, his disciple Tissa, his disciple Sumana, his disciple Cūḷābhaya, his disciple Tissa, his disciple Cūḷadeva, his disciple Sīva. This is the lineage of elders up to the Fourth Council, which is known as the 'book-recorded' council. Thus it should be understood. It is said in the commentary: "It should be understood that up to the present day, this has been brought down by the lineage of teachers, who are themselves the lineage of disciples." Thus, it should be understood that the lineage of teachers, who are themselves the lineage of disciples, has come down manifest in the Dispensation up to the present day. In the Dispensation, those who uphold the Vinaya should be endowed with three characteristics. Indeed, three characteristics are desired for a Vinaya-holder. Which are the three? Firstly, the Sutta is well-received by him, well-expounded, well-discerned from the Sutta and its details. This is one characteristic. Secondly, he stands firm in the Vinaya, unwavering. This is the second. Thirdly, his lineage of teachers is well-grasped, well-considered, well-examined. This is the third. Regarding this, "his lineage of teachers is well-grasped" means his lineage of elders and his lineage of succession are thoroughly grasped. "Well-considered" means thoroughly considered, like a lamp that lights up as soon as it is brought to mind. "Well-examined" means thoroughly examined, examined from the connection of former and latter, from meaning and from reason. Abandoning his own opinion, he speaks with the purity of his teachers, saying: "My teacher learned from such-and-such a teacher, and he from such-and-such," thus stating the entire lineage of teachers, the tradition of the elders. having recited, as far as Thera Upāli, he learned it from the Perfectly Enlightened One— thus he establishes it, having brought it to that point. And from that, having brought it forth,