1. Now at that time the householder Anâtha Pindika was the husband of the sister
of the Râjagaha Setthi. And Anâtha Pindika the householder went to Râjagaha on
some business or other. Now at that time the Samgha, with the Buddha at its
head, had been bidden by the Setthi of Râgagaha for the morrow's meal. And the
Setthi of Râjagaha gave command to his slaves and work-people, saying, 'So get
up at early morn, my men, and cook congey, and cook rice, and prepare curries,
and pre-pare delicacies 1!'
p. 180
And it occurred to Anâtha Pindika the householder, 'Now formerly this
householder was wont, when I arrived, to lay aside all other business, and
exchange the greetings of courtesy with me; but now he appears excited, and is
giving orders to his slaves and work-people. How can it be? Is he taking in
marriage, or is he giving in marriage, or has he set a great sacrifice on foot,
or has he invited the Mâgadhan Seniya Bimbisâra, together with his retinue, for
to-morrow's meal?'
2. Now when the Setthi of Râgagaha had given commandment to his slaves and his
work-people, he went up to the place where Anâtha Pindika the householder was,
and exchanged with him the greetings of courtesy, and took his seat on one side.
And when he was so seated, Anâtha Pindika the householder [told him the thoughts
that had passed through his mind].
'I am neither taking nor giving in marriage, O householder' (was the reply),
'nor have I invited the Mâgadhan Seniya Bimbisâra to to-morrow's meal. But a
great sacrifice I have set on foot, for the Samgha, with the Buddha at its head,
has been invited for to-morrow's meal at my house.'
'Did you, O householder, say "the Buddha?"'
'Yes, it was "the Buddha" that I said.'
p. 181
[And thrice the same question was put, and the same reply was given.]
'Hard is it, O householder, to meet even with the mere expression in the
world--the news, that is, of "a Buddha, a Buddha 1." Would it be possible for
us, at this very time, to go and visit that Blessed One, the Arahat, the very
Buddha 2?'
'It is not now, O householder, the proper time to pay a visit to the Blessed
One; but early on the morrow you shall go and visit him.'
Then Anâtha Pindika, pondering of the visit he was about to pay, lay down to
sleep with his thoughts so bent upon the Buddha that thrice in the night he
arose, thinking the daylight had appeared.
3. And Anâtha Pindika the householder went up to the gate leading to the
Sîtavana, and celestial beings opened the gate. And as he emerged from the city,
the light disappeared and a thick darkness arose, and fear and trembling and
consternation sprang up within him, so that a longing came upon him to turn back
again from that spot. But Sîvaka the Yakkha, himself the while invisible, caused
a sound to be heard, saying:
'A hundred elephants, a hundred steeds, a hundred chariots with mules 3,
'A hundred thousand virgins with their jewelled earrings on,--
p. 182
'These are not worth, O householder, the sixteenth portion of one single stride.
'Go on, go on, O householder! Advance, and not retreat, shall profit thee.'
Then the darkness disappeared before Anâtha Pindika the householder, and a
bright light arose, and the fear and trembling and consternation that had sprung
upon within him were appeased.
[And a second and a third time the same thing happened, and the same words were
heard, and with the same result.]
4. And Anâtha Pindika the householder arrived at the Sîtavana; and at that time
the Blessed One, who had arisen at early dawn, was walking up and down
(meditating) in the open air. And the Blessed One saw Anâtha Pindika the
householder when he was coming from afar; and the Blessed One left the place
where he had been, walking up and down, and sat himself down on the seat put out
for him. And when he was so seated, he addressed Anâtha Pindika the householder,
and said:
'Come hither, Sudatta!'
Then Anâtha Pindika, glad and happy at the thought that the Blessed One had
addressed him by his name, went up to the place where the Blessed
One was, and bowed down before him, falling at his feet, and said:
'I trust my lord the Blessed One has slept in peace!'
'He ever sleeps in peace, the Arahat who is free 1,
p. 183
'Who is not touched by lusts, but calm and free from sin 1,
'Has broken all the bars (to freedom of the mind) 2, has quenched the anguish in
his heart,
'Has fixed peace in his mind, and peaceful, sleeps in peace 3.'
5 4. Then the Blessed One discoursed to Anâtha Pindika the householder in due
order; that is to say, he spake to him of giving, of righteousness, of heaven,
of the danger, the vanity, and the defilement of lusts, and of the advantages of
renunciation. And when the Blessed One saw that Anâtha Pindika the householder
had become prepared, softened, unprejudiced, and upraised and believing in
heart, then he proclaimed that which is the special doctrine of the Buddhas;
that is to say, Suffering, its Origin, its Cessation, and the Path. And just as
a clean cloth from which all stain has been washed away will readily take the
dye, just even so did Anâtha
p. 184
[paragraph continues] Pindika the householder obtain, even while sitting there,
the pure and spotless Eye of the Truth; (that is to say, the knowledge that)
whatsoever has a beginning, in that is inherent also the necessity of
dissolution. Thus did Anâtha Pindika the householder see, and master, and
understand, and penetrate the Truth; and he overcame uncertainty, and dispelled
all doubts, and gained full knowledge, becoming dependent upon no one else for
his knowledge of the doctrine of the Teacher. And he addressed the Blessed One,
and said:
'Most excellent, Lord (are the words of thy mouth), most excellent! Just as if a
man were to set up that which is thrown down, or were to reveal that which is
hidden away, or were to point out the right road to him who has gone astray, or
were to bring a light into the darkness so that those who had eyes could see
external forms just even so, Lord, has the Truth been made known to me, in many
a figure, by the Blessed One. And I, even I, betake myself, Lord, to the Blessed
One as my refuge, to the Truth, and to the Order. May the Blessed One accept me
as a disciple, as one who, from this day forth as long as life endures. has
taken his refuge in him. And may the Blessed One consent to accept at my hand
the to-morrow's meal for himself and for his Order of Bhikkhus.'
Then the Blessed One, by silence, granted his consent. And when Anâtha Pindika
the householder perceived that his request had been granted, he rose from his
seat, and bowed down before the Blessed One, and keeping him on his right hand
as he passed him, he departed thence.
6. Now the Setthi of Râgagaha heard that the
p. 185
[paragraph continues] Order of Bhikkhus which has the Buddha at its head had
been invited by Anâtha Pindika the householder for the morrow's meal. And the
Setthi of Râgagaha said to Anâtha Pindika the householder: 'They say, O
householder, that you have invited the Bhikkhu-samgha, with the Buddha at its
head, for the morrow's meal, and, you are but a stranger here. I will provide
the means 1, O householder, for you to provide the Order of Bhikkhus, which has
the Buddha at its head, with food.'
'It is not necessary, O householder; I have means sufficient for the purpose.'
[And the townsman of Râgagaha 2, and Seniya Bimbisâra the Râga of Magadha, made
the same offer in the same words, and received the same reply.]
7. Then Anâtha Pindika the householder, when the night was far spent, made ready
in the house of the Setthi of Râgagaha sweet food both hard and soft, and had
the time announced to the Blessed One, saying, 'The time, Lord, has come; and
the meal is ready.'
And the Blessed One, when he had dressed himself in the early morning, went duly
bowled and
p. 186
robed to the house of the Setthi of Râgagaha, and sat down there on the seat
spread out for him, together with the Order of Bhikkhus. And Anâtha Pindika the
householder offered to the Order of Bhikkhus which had the Buddha at its head
the sweet food both hard and soft, waiting upon them with his own hand 1. And
when the Blessed One had finished his meal, and had cleansed his hands and his
bowl, Anâtha Pindika took his seat on one side; and, so seated, he said to the
Blessed One: 'May the Blessed One consent to spend the rainy season of Was at
Sâvatthi, together with the Order of Bhikkhus.'
'The Tathâgatas, O householder, take pleasure in solitude.'
'I understand, O Blessed One; I understand, O Happy One' (was the reply) 2.
Then the Blessed One, after he had instructed and aroused and incited and
gladdened Anâtha Pindika the householder with religious discourse, arose from
his seat, and departed thence.
8. Now at that time Anâtha Pindika the householder had many friends and' large
acquaintance, and his word was held of weight 3. When he had
p. 187
brought the business he had in hand at Râgagaha to its conclusion, he set out
towards Sâvatthi; and on the way he gave orders to people, saying, 'Build
dwellings, my good men, and make rest-houses ready, and prepare gifts. A Buddha
has appeared in the world, and that Blessed One has been invited by me, and by
this road will he come.' And those people [did all even as they were commanded].
And when Anâtha Pindika the householder had arrived at Sâvatthi, he examined all
the region round about it, saying 1, 'Where now shall I fix the place for the
Blessed One to stay in, not too far from the town and not too near, convenient
for going and for coming, easily accessible for all who wish to visit him, by
day not too crowded, by night not exposed to too much noise and alarm, protected
from the wind 2, hidden from men, well fitted for a retired life?'
9. And Anâtha Pindika the householder saw that the garden of Geta the Kumâra had
[all these advantages]. And when he saw that, he went to Geta the Kumâra, and
said to him, 'Sir, let me have your garden to make an Ârâma on it.'
'It is not, Sir, for sale, even for (a sum so great that the pieces of money
would be sufficient to cover it if they were) laid side by side.'
'I take, Sir, the garden at the price.'
'No, O householder, there was no bargain meant 3.'
p. 188
Then they asked the lords of justice whether a bargain of sale had been made or
not. And the lords decided thus: 'The Ârâma is taken, Sir, at the price which
you fixed.'
And Anâtha Pindika the householder had gold brought down in carts, and covered
the Getavana with (pieces) laid side by side 1.
10. Now the gold that he had brought down the first time did not suffice (after
the rest of the garden was covered) to cover one small space close by the
gateway. So Anâtha Pindika the householder told his servants to go back and
fetch more gold, saying he would cover that piece also.
Then thought Geta the Kumâra, 'This can be no ordinary matter 2 for which this
householder is ready to lavish so much gold!' And he said to Anâtha Pindika the
householder, 'It is enough, O householder. You need not have that space covered.
Let me have that space, and it shall be my gift.'
Then Anâtha Pindika the householder thought 3, 'This Geta the Kumâra is a very
distinguished and illustrious person. Great would be the efficacy of the
adherence of so well known a man as he to this doctrine and discipline.' And he
gave up that
p. 189
space to Geta the Kumâra. And Geta the Prince erected thereon a gateway, with a
room over it.
And Anâtha Pindika the householder built 1 dwelling-rooms, and retiring-rooms,
and store-rooms (over the gateways), and service halls, and halls with
fire-places in them, and storehouses (outside the Vihâra) 2, and closets, and
cloisters, and halls for exercise, and wells, and sheds for the well 3, and
bath-rooms, and halls attached to the bath-rooms, and ponds, and open-roofed
sheds 4.
Footnotes
179:1 Uttari-bhaṅgam. Childers sub voce uttari is in doubt what the meaning of
this phrase is. It is no longer uncertain that the word means 'delicacy' of some
sort. Whether the term was more p. 181 precise, and denoted some particular
delicacy or not, is still doubtful. Compare the passages quoted in our note
above on Mahâvagga VI, 14, 3 (adding Gâtaka I, 186, and Kullavagga IV, 4, 5,
VIII, 4, 4), which show that it was eaten with boiled rice or congey; is
mentioned along with ghee and oil; and could be made from the flesh (or other
parts) of a sucking-pig. If it were not for the latter circumstance (Gâtaka I,
197) it might well be pickles or chutney.
181:1 'Much more so with the reality' is to be understood. Compare
Mahâ-parinibbâna Sutta VI, 63 (at the end).
181:2 On this rendering of Sammâ-sambuddham, see Rh. D.'s Hibbert Lectures,' pp.
145-147.
181:3 Assatari. Compare vakkhatarî at Mahâvagga V, 9, 1, 3. The word recurs
below at VII, 2, 5.
182:1 Brâhmano parinibbuto. To translate the first of these words by 'Brahman'
would mislead English readers. It is constantly used in early Buddhist texts for
Arahat. On the use of p. 183 parinibbuto not in the sense of 'dead,' but of a
living man in the sense of 'spiritually free,' compare Dhammapada, verse 89;
Sutta Nipâta II, 13, I, 12, III, 12, 35; and Mahâ-parinibbâna Sutta IV, 3.
183:1 Nirûpadhi, i.e. free from Kâma, Kilesa, and Kamma.
183:2 Sabbâ âsattiyo khetvâ. Having cut or broken all the âsatti's (from the
root sañg, 'to hang'), the things which hang on to and burden a man in his
spiritual progress. Compare the figure of speech at Gâtaka I, 5 (âsattam kunapam
khaddetvâ). Buddhaghosa says sabbâ âsattiyo khetvâ ti . . . . hadaye daratham
kitte kilesa-daratham ginetvâ.
183:3 Vineyya and appuya are no doubt gerunds. In a corresponding passage of the
Aṅguttara Nikâya the Phayre MS. reads appeyya, which smoothes over a difficulty
at the expense of the better reading.
183:4 The following section is in identical terms with Mahâvagga I, 7, 5, 10, V,
I, 9, 10, VI, 26, 8, 9.
185:1 Veyyâyikam formed from vyaya, expenditure. Veyyâyikan ti vayakaranam
vukkati (B.).
185:2 Râgagahako negamo. This person has been already mentioned, and there also
in intimate connection with the Setthi of Râgagaha, in the Mahâvagga VIII, 1, 2,
16. It is tolerably clear from the connection that this is no ordinary citizen,
but one holding a distinct and semi-official position. In this respect the word
is an exact parallel to its neighbour the Setthi. For instances of the word in
its more general sense, see Kakkâyana (ed. Senart), p. 219, and Dâthâvamsa III,
3.
186:1 Compare the note on Mahâvagga I, 8, 4.
186:2 Aññâtam bhagavâ aññâtam sugatâ ti. The first word is the standing
expression used when the Buddha or a Thera has signified a request, not in so
many words, but in some phrase from which the request may be implied, and the
person addressed desires to express that he has perceived the intended
implication. Compare Dîpavamsa XIV, 65, XV, 5.
186:3 Adeyyavâko ti tassa vakanam bahuganâ mânetabbam maññantî ti attho (B.). In
Puggala III, 11, we have the phrase tassa vakanam âdheyyam gakkhati, which the
commentary explains by hadaye âdhâtabbam thapitabbam.
187:1 The following speech is identical with that put into Bimbisâra's mouth on
choosing the Veluvana, above Mahâvagga I, 22, 16, 17.
187:2 Viganavâtam, of which neither the reading nor the meaning is certain. See
the various forms given from the commentaries in the notes on the text of the
passage in the Mahâvagga, loc. cit.
187:3 Na gahito: literally, 'it is not taken.'
188:1 It is evident from the illustration of this story on a bas relief at the
Bharhut Tope that these pieces of money were supposed to be square, not round.
See Cunningham's 'The Stûpa of Bharhut,' Plate No. LVII and pp. 84-86.
188:2 Na orakam bhavissati. Compare Mahâvagga I, y, I, and the commencement of
our next chapter below. The idiom recurs in VII, 3, 3.
188:3 The following phrase is identical with that put into the mouth of Ânanda,
at Mahâvagga VI, 36, 3, with respect to Roga the Malla. In the text here there
is a slight misprint; the full-stop after ñâtamanusso should be struck out.
189:1 With the following list should be compared the list of things that laymen
build for themselves given in Mahâvagga III, 5, 7.
189:2 Kappiya-kutiyo. See Mahâvagga VI, 33.
189:3 Udapâna-sâlâyo. See above, V, 16, 2.
189:4 Mandape. See Mahâvagga VIII, 1, 1, and above, Cullavagga VI, 3, 7.
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