English
And the Elders Soṇa and Uttara to Suvaṇṇabhūmi. Having said to his own disciple, the Elder Mahinda, Together with the Elders Iṭṭiya, Uttiya, Bhaddasāla, and Sambala, "Go to the island of Tambapaṇṇi and establish the Teaching here," All of them, going to that respective region, Went as groups of five, All the Elders, having pleased the people in the places they went, Established the Teaching. The Elder Mahinda, however, Having been requested by his preceptor and the Sangha, "Go to the island of Tambapaṇṇi and establish the Teaching," Considering, "Is it time for me to go to the island of Tambapaṇṇi or not?" Thought about the old age of King Muṭasīva. "This great king is old, It is not possible to take hold of him and promote the Teaching, Now, however, his son Devānampiyatissa will rule the kingdom. Having taken hold of him, it will be possible to promote the Teaching, Come, until that time comes, let us look after our relatives, Then we will come to this country again." He did not go or send word. So thinking thus, having bowed to his preceptor and the community of monks, having left Asokārāma, accompanied by those four elders, Saṅghamittā's son, the novice Sumana, and the lay follower Bhaṇḍuka, wandering in the southern Girijana region near the Upavatta grove in Rājagaha, looking for relatives, he spent six months. Then gradually he reached his mother's birthplace, a city named Veṭisa. Seeing the elder arrive, the elder's mother, the queen, bowed at his feet with her head, offered alms, and led the elder to the Veṭisagiri Vihāra, which she had built. The elder, sitting in that monastery, thought, "Our task here is finished. Is it now time to go to Laṅkādīpa?" Then he thought, "Let Devānampiyatissa experience the consecration sent by my father, and hear the virtues of the Triple Gem. Having left the city for the festival, let him ascend Missaka Mountain, then I will see him there." Then he spent another month there. After a month had passed, Sakka, lord of the gods, approached the elder Mahinda and said, "Venerable sir, King Muṭasīva is deceased, now King Devānampiyatissa rules the kingdom. You were predicted by the Sammāsambuddha, that in the future a monk named Mahinda would spread the faith in Tambapaṇṇidīpa." Therefore, venerable sir, it is time for you to go to the excellent island, and I will be your companion. The elder, accepting his words, as the seventh, rose into the sky from the Veṭisa Mountain Vihāra, and landed on Missaka Mountain, to the east of Anurādhapura, which is now known as Cetiyapabbata. On that day in Tambapaṇṇidīpa, there was a festival called Jeṭṭhamūla Nakkhatta. The king, having announced the festival, ordered his ministers to hold a celebration, and accompanied by forty thousand men, he left the city and went towards Missaka Mountain, desiring to play at hunting. Then on that mountain, Those dwelling deities, thinking, "We will show him the Elder," taking the form of a deer, appeared to graze on grass and leaves not far away. The king, seeing it, thinking, "Now is the time to strike the careless one," twanged his bowstring. The deer took the Ambathala road and began to flee. The king, following closely behind, ascended Ambathala itself. The deer disappeared not far from the Elders. Mahinda Thera, seeing the king approaching not far away, resolving, "Let the king see me, not others," called out, "Tissa! Tissa! Come here!" The king, hearing this, thought: "In this Tambapanni island, there is no one able to address me by name, calling me Tissa. Yet this one, with torn and tattered robes, wearing ochre-colored garments, addresses me by name. Who could this be, a human or a non-human?" The Elder said: "We are ascetics, O great king, disciples of the righteous king, Out of compassion for you, we have come here from Jambudipa." At that time, King Devanampiyatissa and King Asoka Dharmaraja were unseen friends. For King Devanampiyatissa, through the power of his merit, at the foot of Chatapabbata, in a bamboo grove, three bamboo staffs arose: one named the creeper staff, one named the flower staff, one named the bird staff. Among them, the creeper staff was naturally silver in color. The creeper that arose, adorning it, appeared golden in color. On the flower staff, blue, yellow, red, white, and black flowers appeared like stamens, filaments, and pistils of a well-cleaned rice bowl. On the bird staff, swans, cuckoos, jīvaṃjīvaka birds, and other birds, and various kinds of quadrupeds appeared as if alive. From the sea also arose many kinds of gems, such as pearls, jewels, and beryl. In Tambapanni, eight pearls arose: fear pearls, elephant pearls, chariot pearls, amalaka fruit pearls, moving pearls, finger-ring pearls, kakudha fruit pearls, and natural pearls. He sent those staffs, those pearls, and many other gems He sent it as tribute to King Asoka, the righteous. Asoka, pleased, sent back five royal regalia and many other gifts for the coronation. Not only material gifts, but also this Dhamma gift he sent. "I have gone to the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Sangha for refuge, I have declared myself a lay follower in the dispensation of the Sakya's son, In these three objects, O best of men, Having pleased your mind, go for refuge with faith;" The king, recalling the unbroken lineage of the teaching, and hearing the Thera's words, "We are ascetics, great king, disciples of the righteous king," thinking, "Have the noble ones arrived?" immediately put down his weapon, sat to one side, exchanging courteous greetings. While he was exchanging courteous greetings, those forty thousand men came and surrounded him. Then the Thera showed the other people. The king, seeing them, asked, "When did these arrive?" "At the same time as me, great king." "Now, are there other ascetics like this in Jambudipa?" "Great king, at this time, Jambudipa is radiant with robes, surrounded by the wind of sages, in it— "Those who have attained knowledge and psychic power, and some the knowledge of others' minds, Arahants, with defilements destroyed, many disciples of the Buddha;" Then the king said, "Venerable sir, tomorrow I will send a chariot. Please come riding in it." Having said this, he departed. Soon after the king's departure, the Thera addressed the novice Sumana, "Come, Sumana, announce the time for the hearing of the Dhamma." The novice, having attained the fourth jhana, the basis of super-knowledge, arose, resolved, and with a concentrated mind, pervading the entire island of Tambapanni, announced the time for the hearing of the Dhamma. Hearing the novice's voice, the earth deities echoed the sound, and in this way the sound rose up to the Brahma world. With that sound, there was a great gathering of deities. The Thera, seeing the great gathering of deities, recited the Samacitta Suttanta. At the end of the discourse, countless A shout arose from the gods in the sky. Many nāgas and garudas took refuge in the Buddha. Then, as the night ended, the king sent a chariot for the elders. The elders said, "We will not ride in the chariot. You go, we will come later," and rising into the sky, they descended to the first shrine site on the western side of Anuradhapura. The king, having sent the charioteer and prepared a pavilion in the inner palace, wondered, "Will the venerable ones sit on the seats, or will they not sit?" While he was thinking this, the charioteer reached the city gate and saw the elders arriving before him, tying their waistbands and putting on their robes. Seeing this, with a very pleased mind, he came and announced to the king, "The elders have arrived, O king!" The king asked, "Did they ride in the chariot?" "No, O king, but coming out from behind, they arrived before me and are standing at the eastern gate." Hearing that they did not ride in the chariot, the king said, "Then, good sir, quickly spread out mats and prepare seats," and he went to meet them. Ministers spread mats on the ground and placed various coverings such as rugs on top. The king also went, greeted the elders, took the bowl from the hand of Mahinda Thera, and with great offerings and respect, satisfied the elders with delicious food and drink with his own hands. He had Anulā Devī and five hundred women come to greet the elders and pay them homage and respect, and then sat to one side. The elder, showering the king and his retinue with the rain of the Dhamma, spoke on the Petavatthu, the Vimānavatthu, and the Saccasaṃyutta. Having heard this, those five hundred women realized the fruit of stream-entry. Then the townspeople, hearing of the virtues of the elders, cried out, "We are not able to see the elders!" Then the king, thinking, "There is no space here," said, "Go, good sirs, prepare the elephant stable, sprinkle sand, and scatter five-colored flowers." Having erected a canopy in the auspicious elephant stable, he ordered seats to be arranged for the elders; the ministers did as they were told. The elder went there, sat down, and recited the Devadūta Sutta. At the end of the discourse, a hundred thousand attained the fruit of stream-entry. As the elephant stable was crowded, they arranged seats in the Nandanavana Park by the south gate. The elder sat there and recited the Āsīvisopama Sutta. Having heard that too, a hundred thousand attained the fruit of stream-entry. Thus, from the day of arrival until the second day, a hundred and fifty thousand beings experienced the Dhamma. As the elder was enjoying himself in Nandanavana with women of good families, daughters-in-law, and young women, evening approached. The elder, aware of the time, rose, saying, "I will now go to Missaka Mountain." The ministers had the elder stay in the Mahāmeghavana Park. The king, at the end of that night, went to the elder, inquired about his comfortable sleep, and asked, "Is this park suitable for the Saṅgha, venerable sir?" The elder replied, "It is suitable, great king."