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Homage to the Blessed One, the Worthy One, the Fully Enlightened One. Rasavāhinī Introductory Discourse 1. I venerate the feet of the Teacher, praised, the refuge of beings, Bearing the rays of jewels from the crowns of Brahmā and others, Having the color of a lotus, soft, gentle, and beautiful, Possessing the marks of a sovereign wheel. 2. I salute always the unequaled Dhamma-path, perfected by the Jina through tireless effort for a long time, Which the meditator attains, the path of safety, Which shines like a wish-fulfilling tree, a jewel of delightful giving. 3. I venerate with my head the noble Saṅgha, with senses calmed, the excellent offspring of the Sugata, pure, Worthy of offerings, a field of pure merit, A refuge for those seeking protection, having abandoned all suffering, blameless, of great worth. 4. By the merit attained here through praise of the Triple Gem, Having dispelled all evil, I shall relate the Rasavāhinī, sweet and delightful. Listen, good people, may it bring you joy. 5. The Arahants of old spoke of the events that occurred in various places, and the ancients recorded them. 6. In the Mahāvihāra, dwelling in the Taṅgutta Vaṅka Pariveṇa, Named Raṭṭhapāla, an embodiment of virtue, conduct, and qualities. 7. He translated it for the benefit of the people from the Pāli language. It was all confused by faults such as repetition. I will make it clear; listen attentively. 8. The passionless ones spoke it of old; therefore, the speech Is worthy of respect, always praised by the wise. Stories of the Origin of Jambudīpa. The Dhammasoṇḍaka Section 1. In the story of Dhammasoṇḍaka, this is the order of events. There, the origins of those stories are of two kinds: Jambudīpa and Sīhaḷadīpa. Among them, in Jambudīpa, there are thirty-three, in Sīhaḷadīpa, sixty-three. First, the stories of the origin of Jambudīpa will become apparent, and then the story of Dhammasoṇḍaka will begin. How? It is said that in the past, in this very fortunate aeon, a teacher named Kassapa arose in the world. Not long after the disappearance of the dispensation of that Blessed One, our Then the Bodhisatta was born in the womb of the chief queen of the king of Bārāṇasī. Immediately upon his birth, a sense of Dhamma arose in the minds of all beings. Therefore, they named him Dhammasoṇḍa. This prince, being raised with a great retinue, attained perfection in all arts. Honored by his father as the heir apparent, he fulfilled the ten wholesome paths of action, such as giving. Upon his father's death, he was consecrated king by his ministers. This King Dhammasoṇḍa, ruling the kingdom of Bārāṇasī like a wheel-turning monarch in the city of Bārāṇasī, resembling a city of the gods, lying on his royal bed after a month or half a month, thought thus: "This enjoyment of royal splendor is not fitting for me without the Dhamma, like the sky without the sun." Thus, he reflected in various ways. Therefore, here: 1. "By merit, by virtue and so on, done in the past, tirelessly, I have attained, like the king of gods in the Asakka fortress, kingship, prosperous, in the best of cities. 2. By form, captivating to the eyes, by sound, truly nectar to the ears, by smell, beautifully pleasing to the nose, and by taste, through merit of the tongue. 3. By touch, with pleasant sensation to the body, I have attained prosperity, I am mighty. Not even for a moment should a state of heedlessness befall me," knowing this, 4. "I will give limbs and even life, grain and wealth, with a serene mind. I will listen to the Dhamma, bringing about welfare, proclaimed by the Conqueror, destroying birth and old age." 5. As the sky is not beautiful without the sun, so my ruling is not beautiful without the Dhamma. 6. As the night is not beautiful without the lord of the night, so my ruling is not beautiful without the Dhamma. 7. Even an adorned elephant is not beautiful without tusks, so my ruling is not beautiful without the Dhamma. 8. As a garland of waves is not beautiful without the shore, so my ruling is not beautiful without the Dhamma. 9. As a well-adorned king, wearing rags, is not beautiful, My royal duties, Without Dhamma, are unseemly. 10. I will only listen to the Dhamma, my mind delights in the Dhamma, Indeed, there is nothing beyond the Dhamma, the Dhamma is the root of all attainments. Thus thinking, at dawn, from his splendid chamber, having emerged, under a well-adorned, raised white parasol, on the royal throne, surrounded by his ministers, seated, shining like a divine king, the seated king then spoke thus to his ministers: "Whoever among you, good sirs, knows any Dhamma from the Buddha's teachings, let him speak, I wish to hear the Dhamma." They all replied, "We, O King, do not know." Hearing that, the unhappy king thought thus: "Suppose I were to place a thousand on the elephant's neck and have a proclamation made in the city, so that perhaps someone, out of greed for wealth, might teach the Dhamma even in a four-line verse. That would be for my long-term benefit and happiness." Then, having done so, not finding a Dhamma teacher, again, "I will give two thousand, three, four, five thousand, up to a koṭi of koṭis!" Then, in villages, towns, and districts, then to the abodes of wealthy men, generals, and viceroys, again, "I will give the white parasol, abandoning my royal attire, declaring myself a slave to the one who teaches the Dhamma!" Having proclaimed this and not finding a Dhamma teacher, distressed, "What is the use of kingship without the Dhamma?" Having entrusted the kingdom to his ministers, the great King Dhammasoṇḍa, a seeker of the true Dhamma, entered the great forest, passing through a succession of villages, towns, and royal capitals. Hence, in this connection: 11. Having proclaimed in the city, King Dhammasoṇḍa; A teacher of the true Dhamma, Not finding, with crores of wealth. 12. A slave I become, abandoning, Kingship, to my teacher; Thus spoke the great king, Alas, the longing for the Dhamma. 13. Having entrusted the kingdom, to the delightful ministers, The king entered the forest, seeking the supreme Dhamma. At the moment of entering the great forest, by the power of the Great Being's merit, Sakka's throne showed a sign of heat. Then, the divine king... He thought, "My paṇḍukambala stone seat has become hot, without cause. What could be the reason?" Looking over the world, Sakka, the king of gods, searched all of Jambudīpa for King Dhammasoṇḍaka, a student of the true Dhamma, but not finding him, he saw that he had entered the forest. King Dhammasoṇḍaka, for the sake of the true Dhamma, had abandoned kingdom, wealth, relatives, and even life, and had entered the wilderness. "Surely, this is no ordinary being. In this very aeon, he will become a Buddha, a Buddha-bodhisatta. He has entered the great forest today. If he does not find the true Dhamma, he will experience great suffering. This is not right. Today, I must go there and anoint him with the nectar of the Dhamma, and establish him in the kingdom." Thinking thus, he gave up his own form and created a terrifying, huge ogre form, and showed himself not far from the great being. Thus it is said: 14. Tiger, bear, lion, buffalo, rhinoceros, elephant, leopard, Herds of deer, thorny selaru trees; The lord of men, having entered the forest, Wanders here and there, desiring Dhamma. 15. Through the power of Purindada, His stone seat became exceedingly hot; By that, he, looking over the world, Saw the wise one wandering in the forest. 16. "Today, I will thoroughly satisfy him with the taste of Dhamma, And make his journey excellent," Thinking thus, of the color of a dark mountain peak, A huge face, with terrifying fangs protruding. 17. Like a blazing fire, with wide eyes, Broken in the middle, with a flat-tipped nose; With rough, red teeth, a thick mustache, A blue belly, with a terrifying, thundering voice. 18. Fingernails sharp, red, and long, Holding a wide, clean, long sword in his hand; Another arm marked with a mace weapon, A terrifying, biting lip, with a wrinkled forehead. 19. Eating human flesh, drinking blood, A terrifying, rough ogre form; Having created it in the midst of the forest, He showed himself to the lord of men. Then the great being saw the ogre standing not far from him. Seeing him, he felt neither fear nor trembling, nor any fright. He thought, "Perhaps this ogre knows the Dhamma, even though he is not one to be expected to. Why don't I listen to the Dhamma from him? That will be for my long-term benefit and happiness." Having thought this, he considered, "Is it fitting for me to approach and question him today?" Going and conversing with the ogre, he said: 20. In this forest, adorned with groves of trees, Abounding with blossoming vines intertwined, You are established, O mighty one, I ask you, O deva, speak without doubt. 21. Seeking the Dhamma, I have come to this forest, Having abandoned kingdom and kinsmen too; If you know, O worthy one, tell me, Even one verse spoken by the Sugata. Then the ogre said: 22. I know a portion of the Dhamma, Well-spoken by the Conqueror, the best of tastes, If I teach you the path of the Dhamma here, What will you do for the teacher? Then the great being said: 23. If I were established in the kingdom, O good sir, I would offer worship of immeasurable kinds; Now I am alone, fallen into the midst of the forest, What can I do, except offer this body? 24. If you wish for my flesh and blood, I will grant you that favor today, For there is nothing else for you to honor, Teach the Dhamma praised by the Sugata. Then the ogre said: 25. Having eaten flesh, being well-satisfied, Having quenched my thirst, having drunk blood, I will be able to speak the Dhamma to you, I am not able to speak, overcome by hunger. Then the great being said: 26. Having eaten me first, O ogre, To whom will you teach the Dhamma afterwards?