PÂTIMOKKHA
MAHÂVAGGA.
FIFTH KHANDHAKA.
(RULES FOR FOOT-CLOTHING, SEATS, VEHICLES, ETC.)
1.
1. At that time the blessed Buddha dwelt at Râgagaha at the Vulture's Peak.
Now at that time Seniya Bimbisâra, the king of Magadha, held rule and sovranty
over eighty thousand townships 1. And at that time there was at Kampâ a Setthi's
son named Sona Kolivisa 2, delicately nurtured, on the soles of whose feet hair
had grown.
Now when Seniya Bimbisâra, the king of Magadha, was holding an assembly of the
eighty thousand overseers over those townships, he sent a message to Sona
Kolivisa on some matter of business, saying, 'Let Sona come hither. I desire
Sona's presence!'
2. Then spake the parents of Sona Kolivisa to him thus: 'The king, dear Sona,
wishes to see thy feet. But stretch not out thy feet, dear Sona, towards the
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king. Take thy seat cross-legged before the king, that the king may see thy feet
as thou sittest there.' And they carried Sona Kolivisa in a palankeen (to
Râgagaha).
And Sona Kolivisa went to the place where Seniya Bimbisâra, the king of Magadha,
was. And when he had come there, and had bowed down before Seniya Bimbisâra, the
king of Magadha, he took his seat cross-legged before the king. And Seniya
Bimbisâra, the king of Magadha, saw that hair had grown on the soles of the feet
of Sona Kolivisa.
3. Now after Seniya Bimbisâra, the king of Magadha, had instructed the eighty
thousand overseers over those townships in the things of this world he exhorted
them, saying, 'Ye have now received from me instruction in the things of this
world. Go now, and wait upon the Blessed One. The Blessed One himself shall
instruct you in the things of eternity.'
Then the eighty thousand overseers over those townships went on to the Vulture's
Peak.
4. Now at that time the venerable Sâgata was the attendant on the Blessed One.
And the eighty thousand overseers over those townships went to the place where
the venerable Sâgata was. And when they were come there they spake thus to the
venerable Sâgata:
The eighty thousand overseers over the townships are come here, Sir, to visit
the Blessed One. It were well, Sir, that we should be granted an audience of the
Blessed One.'
Then do you, Sirs, stay here yet a moment, while I let the Blessed One know.'
p. 3
5. Then the venerable Sâgata disappeared down the steps 1 from before the very
eyes of the eighty thousand overseers over those townships, and appeared before
the Blessed One, and spake to the Blessed One, and said:
'Lord, the eighty thousand overseers over the townships are come here to visit
the Blessed One. Let the Blessed One do as seemeth to him fit.'
Do thou then, Sâgata, make a seat ready in the shade of the house 2.'
6. 'Even so, Lord!' said the venerable Sâgata, in assent, to the Blessed One.
And taking a chair, he disappeared from before the Blessed One, and reappeared
up the steps before the very eyes of those eighty thousand overseers over those
townships, and made ready a seat in the shade of the house.
And the Blessed One came out of the house and sat down on the seat made ready in
the shade thereof.
7. Then those eighty thousand overseers over the townships went up to the place
where the Blessed One was. And when they had come there they bowed down before
the Blessed One and took their seats on one side. But those eighty thousand
overseers over the townships paid more respect in their hearts to the venerable
Sâgata than to the Blessed One 3.
And the Blessed One perceived by his mind the thoughts of the minds of those
eighty thousand
p. 4.
overseers over the townships; and he addressed the venerable Sâgata, and said:
'Show them now, Sâgata, a still greater wonder, beyond the power of men.'
'Even so, Lord!' said the venerable Sâgata, in assent, to the Blessed One. And
rising up into the air he walked, and stood, and sat, and lay down, and gave
forth smoke and fire, and disappeared in the sky.
8. Then the venerable Sâgata, when he had shown in the open sky wonders of
various kinds beyond the power of men, fell down with his head at the feet of
the Blessed One, and said to the Blessed One:
My teacher, Lord, is the Blessed One; and I am the disciple. My teacher, Lord,
is the Blessed One; and I am the disciple.'
Then those eighty thousand overseers over the townships thinking, 'Wonderful is
it, most marvellous! If even the pupil be so mighty and so powerful, how much
more then the master!' paid more respect in their hearts to the Blessed One than
to the venerable Sâgata.
9. Then the Blessed One perceived by his mind the thoughts of the minds of those
eighty thousand overseers over the townships, and held to them a discourse in
due order; that is to say, he spake to them of giving, of righteousness, of
heaven, of the danger, the worthlessness, the depravity of lusts, and of the
advantages of renunciation. And when the Blessed One perceived that they had
become pliant, softened, unprejudiced, 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.
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Just as a clean cloth, from which all stain has been washed away, would readily
take the dye, just even so did those eighty thousand overseers over the
townships 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.
10. And having seen the Truth, having mastered the Truth, having understood the
Truth, having penetrated the Truth, having overcome uncertainty, having
dispelled all doubts, having gained full knowledge, dependent on nobody else for
the knowledge of the doctrine of the Teacher, they said to the Blessed One:
'Glorious, Lord! glorious, Lord! Just as if one should set up, Lord, what had
been overturned, or should reveal what had been hidden, or should point out the
way to one who had lost his way, or should bring a lamp into the darkness, in
order that those who had eyes might see visible things, thus has the Blessed One
preached the doctrine in many ways. We take our refuge, Lord, in the Blessed
One, and in the Dhamma, and in the fraternity of Bhikkhus; may the Blessed One
receive us from this day forth while our life lasts as his disciples who have
taken their refuge in Him.'
11. And Sona Kolivisa thought: As I understand the Dhamma proclaimed by the
Blessed One, it is not easy to a person living as a layman to lead a wholly
perfect and pure and altogether consummate 1 life of holiness. What if I were to
cut off my hair and beard, and to put on yellow robes, and give up the world,
and go forth into the houseless state.'
p. 6
And those eighty thousand overseers over the townships, having expressed their
joy and delight at the words of the Blessed One, rose from their seats,
respectfully saluted the Blessed One, and passing round him with their right
sides towards him, went away.
12. And Sona Kolivisa, soon after those eighty thousand overseers over the
townships had departed, went to the place where the Blessed One was. And when he
had come there he bowed down before the Blessed One and took his seat on one
side. Sitting on one side Sona Kolivisa said to the Blessed One: 'As I
understand the Dhamma proclaimed by the Blessed One (&c., as in § 11, down to:)
and go forth into the houseless state. I desire, Lord, to cut off my hair and
beard, and to put on yellow robes, and to give up the world, and to go forth
into the houseless state. May the Blessed One, Lord, ordain me.'
Thus Sona Kolivisa received from the Blessed One the pabbaggâ and upasampadâ
ordinations. And the venerable Sona, soon after his upasampadâ, dwelt in the
Sîtavana grove.
13. As he, with eager determination, was walking up and down there, his feet
were injured, and the place in which he walked became covered with blood, like a
slaughter-house for oxen. Then in the mind of the venerable Sona, who had gone
apart and was plunged in meditation, there sprung up this thought:
'Though I have become one of those disciples of the Blessed One who live in the
exercise of strenuous determination, yet my heart has not been set free from the
Âsavas through absence of craving. And there is much wealth laid up for me at
home. It is possible both to enjoy that wealth, and to do good
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deeds. Let me now, then, returning to the lower state 1, enjoy my wealth and do
good deeds.'
14. Now the Blessed One perceived in his mind the thought of the heart of the
venerable Sona; and as quickly as a strong man can stretch forth his arm, or can
draw it back again when it has been stretched forth, he disappeared from the
hill of the Vulture's Peak, and appeared in the Sîtavana grove. And the Blessed
One, as he was passing through the sleeping-places (of the Bhikkhus), came up,
with a multitude of Bhikkhus, to the place where the venerable Sona had walked
up and down.
When the Blessed One saw that the place where the venerable Sona had walked up
and down was covered with blood, he addressed the Bhikkhus, and said: 'Whose
walking-place 2 is this, O Bhikkhus, which is covered with blood, like a
slaughter-house for oxen?'
'As the venerable Sona, Lord, was walking up and down here with eager
determination, his feet were injured; and so this place has become covered with
blood, like a slaughter-house for oxen.'
15. Then the Blessed One went on to the house in which the venerable Sona was
living, and sat down there on a seat made ready for him. And the venerable Sona
bowed down before the Blessed
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[paragraph continues] One, and took his seat on one side. And when he was thus
seated, the Blessed One addressed the venerable Soma, and said: 'Is it not true,
Sona, that in your mind, when you had gone apart and were plunged in meditation,
there sprung up this thought: "Though I have become (&c., as in § 13, down to
the end)?"'
'Even so, Lord!'
'Now what think you, Sona,--you were skilled, were you not, when you formerly
lived in the world, in the music of the lute?'
'That was so, Lord!'
'Now what think you, Sona,--when the strings of your lute 1 were too much
stretched, had your lute then any sound, was it in a fit state to be played
upon?'
'Not so, Lord!'
16. 'Now what think you, Sona,--when the strings of your lute were too loose,
had your lute then any sound 2, was it in a fit state to be played upon?' 'Not
so, Lord!'
Now what think you, Sona,--when the strings of your lute were neither too much
stretched nor too loose, but fixed in even proportion, had your lute sound then,
was it then in a fit state to be played upon?'
Yes, Lord!'
'And just so, Sona, does too eager a determination conduce to
self-righteousness, and too weak a determination
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to sloth. [17.] Do thou, therefore, O Sona, be steadfast in evenness of
determination, press through to harmony of your mental powers. Let that be the
object of your thought 1!'
Even so, Lord!' said the venerable Sona, and hearkened to the word of the
Blessed One.
And when the Blessed One had exhorted the venerable Sona with this exhortation,
then, as quickly as a strong man can stretch forth his arm, or can draw it back
again when it has been stretched forth, he vanished from the presence of the
venerable Sona in the Sîtavana grove, and reappeared on the hill of the
Vulture's Peak.
18. Thenceforward the venerable Sona was stead-fast in evenness of
determination, he pressed through to harmony of his mental powers, that did he
take as the object of his thought. And the venerable Sona remaining alone and
separate, earnest, zealous, and resolved, attained ere long to that supreme goal
of the higher life for the sake of which noble youths go out from all and every
household gain and comfort to become houseless wanderers--yea, that supreme goal
did he, by himself, and while yet in this visible world, bring himself to the
knowledge of, and continue to realise, and to see face to face! And he became
conscious that rebirth was at an end, that the higher life had been fulfilled,
that all that should be done had been accomplished, and that after this present
life there would be no beyond!
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So the venerable Sona became yet another among the Arahats.
19. Now when the venerable Sona had attained to Arahatship there occurred to him
the thought: 'Let me now make known my Insight in the presence of the Blessed
One 1!'
Then the venerable Sona went to the place where the Blessed One was, and bowed
down before the Blessed One, and took his seat on one side. And when he was thus
seated, the venerable Sona said to the Blessed One:
20. 'Whatsoever Bhikkhu, Lord, is an Arahat whose Âsavas are rooted out, who has
lived the life, who has accomplished the task, who has laid aside every burden,
who has gained the end he had in view, who has quite broken the fetter of a
craving for (future) existence, who is completely set free by insight, six
things doth he reach up unto 2--unto renunciation, unto the love of solitude,
unto kindness of heart, unto the destruction of craving, unto the destruction of
thirst, unto the getting free from delusions.
21. 'Now it may be, Lord, that it might occur, regarding this matter, to some
brother, thus: "For the sake of faith merely 3 hath this brother attained
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unto renunciation." But not thus, Lord, should this matter be regarded. For the
Bhikkhu in whom the Âsavas are rooted out, who has lived the life, who has
accomplished the task, he looks not upon himself as one who has anything yet to
do, or to gather up, of (the fruit of his past) labour; but he attaineth to
renunciation by the destruction of lust, by the very condition of the absence of
lust; he attaineth to renunciation by the destruction of ill-will, by the very
condition of the absence of ill-will; he attaineth to renunciation by the
destruction of delusions, by the very condition of the absence of delusions.
22. 'Now it may, be, Lord, that it might occur, regarding this matter, to some
brother, thus: "Seeking after gain, hospitality, and fame bath this brother
attained to the love of solitude." But not thus (&c., as in § 21, down to the
end, substituting "love of solitude" for "renunciation").
23. 'Now it may be, Lord, that it might occur, regarding this matter, to some
brother, thus: "Returning, verily, to the dependence upon works, as if that were
the true essence (of spiritual welfare), hath this brother attained to kindness
of heart." But not thus (&c., as in § 21, down to the end, substituting
"kindness of heart" for "renunciation").
24. 'He attaineth to the destruction of craving by the destruction of lust (&c.,
as in § 21, down to the end, substituting "absence of craving" for
"renunciation"). He attaineth to the absence of thirst (&c., as in § 21). He
attaineth to the absence of delusions (&c., as in § 21, down to the end).
25. 'When a Bhikkhu, Lord, has thus become fully emancipated in heart, even
though many objects
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visible to the sight should enter the path of his eye 1, yet they take not
possession of his mind: undefiled is his mind, firm, immovable; and he sees into
the (manner which that impression) passes away 2--even though many objects
audible to the ear, smellable to the nostrils, tastable to the tongue, feelable
by the body, sensible to the intellect should enter the path of the ear, the
nose, the tongue, the skin, the intellect, yet they take not possession of his
mind: undefiled is his mind, firm, immovable, and he sees into the (manner in
which that impression) passes away.
26. 'Just, Lord, as if there be a mountain of rock, undivided, solid, one mass,
and much wind and rain should fall upon it from the direction of the East, or of
the West, or of the North, or of the South, yet they would not make it shake, or
tremble, or quake; just so, Lord, when a Bhikkhu has thus become fully
emancipated in heart (&c., as in § 25, down to the end).
27. 'He who has attained to renunciation, to solitude of heart, who has attained
to kindness, and to the rooting out of craving,
'He who has attained to the rooting out of thirst, to the absence of delusions
from the mind, he sees the source of sensations, his mind is quite set free.
'To such a Bhikkhu, so emancipated, and with calmness in his heart, there is no
gathering up of what is done, nothing to be done still remains.
'As a rock, all of one mass, is not shaken by
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the breezes 1, just so never can shapes and tastes, and sounds, and smells, and
touch--the whole of them
Things wished for, things unwished--make tremble such a one. Firm is his mind,
set free. He sees into the end thereof.'
28. And the Blessed One addressed the Bhikkhus, and said: 'Thus, brethren, do
young men of worth make their insight known. The truth is spoken, and the self
is not obtruded. But herein some foolish ones, methinks, make known their
insight to be a thing ridiculous, and they, thereafter, fall into defeat!'
29. Then the Blessed One said to the venerable Sona, 'You, Sona, have been
delicately nurtured. I enjoin upon you, Sona, the use of shoes with one lining
2.'
I have gone out from the world, Lord, into the houseless state, abandoning
eighty cart-loads of gold 3, and a retinue of seven elephants 4. It will be said
against me for this matter: "Sona Kolivisa went out from the world into the
houseless state, abandoning eighty cart-loads of gold, and a retinue of seven
elephants; but the very same man now accustoms himself to the use of shoes with
a lining
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to them." [30.] If the Blessed One will enjoin their use upon the Order of
Bhikkhus, I will also use them. If the Blessed One will not enjoin their use
upon the Order of Bhikkhus, neither will I use them.'
Then the Blessed One, on that occasion, having delivered a religious discourse,
thus addressed the Bhikkhus:
'I enjoin upon you, O Bhikkhus, the use of shoes with one lining to them. Doubly
lined shoes, Bhikkhus, are not to be worn, nor trebly lined ones, nor shoes with
many linings 1. Whosoever shall wear such, is guilty of a dukkata offence.'
Footnotes
1:1 Gâma, which should be understood in the sense of parishes, not of villages.
1:2 This Sona is the reputed author of one of the Theragâthâs. It is interesting
to notice that Kampâ, the capital of Aṅga, is here included under Magadha.
Compare Aṅga-magadhesu in Mahâvagga I, 29, and the beginning sentences of the
Sonadanda Sutta (Digha Nikâya), in which it is said that the revenues of the
town of Kampâ had been bestowed by king Bimbisâra on the Brâhmana Sonadanda.
3:1 Pâtikâya nimuggitvâ ’ti sopânassa hetthâ addhakandapâsânena nimuggitvâ
(Comm.).
3:2 Vihârapakkhâyâyan ti vihârapakkante khâyâyam.
3:3 Samannâharantiti pasâdavasena punappunam manasikaronti (Buddhaghosa).
5:1 Saṅkhalikhita. See Boehtlingk-Roth s.v. Likhita.
7:1 That is to say, the state of a layman (Hînây’ âvattitvâ).
7:2 Kaṅkama, for which there is no real equivalent in English. In speaking of
later periods the word 'cloister' is sometimes a correct rendering, for the
places in which the recluses walked up and down, thinking, were then in some
cases paved and even roofed. The Chinese pilgrim I-tsing has a description of
such a stone kaṅkama, which he saw at the great monastery at Nâlanda (Indian
Antiquary, X, 192). In this passage it only means a narrow, open, space of
ground, levelled and cleared for the purpose.
8:1 Vînâ. On the construction of the ancient Indian lute, see Milinda Pañha (p.
53, ed. Trenckner), where all the various parts are mentioned. Compare also the
Guttila Gâtaka (No. 243, ed. Fausböll).
8:2 There is a misprint here in the text, savaratî for saravati.
9:1 Buddhaghosa says: Tattha ka nimittam ganhâhîti: tasmim samathe sati yena
âdâse mukhabimben’ eva nimittena uppaggitabbam, tam samatha-nimittam
vipassanâ-nimittam magga-nimittam phala-nimittañ ka ganhâhi nipattetîti (?
nipphâdehîti, nibbattehîti) attho.
10:1 It is often represented in the Pâli Pi.itakas to have been a customary
thing for any one who thought he had attained to Arahatship to deliver a
discourse in the presence of Gotama, as a kind of proof, or test, of his
emancipation; and to receive the decision of Gotama thereupon. Buddhaghosa says:
Aññam vyâkareyyan ti: arahâ ahan ti gânâpeyyam. Compare Gâtaka I, 140; II, 333.
10:2 Adhimutto hotîti: pativigghitvâ pakkakkham katvâ thito hoti (B.).
10:3 Kevalam saddhâmattakan ti: pativedha-rahitam kevalam pativedha-paññâya
asammissam saddhâmattakam (B.). On the lower position here assigned to faith,
compare Mahâ-parinibbâna Sutta VI, 9.
12:1 Kakkhussa âpâtham âgakkhanti; that is, should come within reach of his
vision.
12:2 Vayañ k’ assânupassatîti: tassa kittassa uppâdam pi vayam pi passati B.).
13:1 This half sloka recurs in Dhammapada, verse 81.
13:2 Ekapalâsikan ti eka-patalam (B.).
13:3 Asîti-sakata-vâhe hiraññam (so correct the misprint in the text).
Buddhaghosa says: ettha dve sakatabhârâ eko vâho ’ti veditabbo; but compare Rh.
D., 'Ancient Coins and Measures,' &c., p. 18, § 32, and p. 14, § 23. Vâha occurs
also in the Mahâvamsa, p. 22.
13:4 Sattahatthikañ ka anîkan ti: ettha kha hatthiniyo eko ka hatthîti, idam
ekam anîkam, îdisani satta anîkâni sattahatthikam nâma (B.).
14:1 Dvi-gunâ ’ti dvi-patalâ. Ti-gunâ ’ti ti-patalâ. Ganamganûpâhanâ ’ti
katu-patalato patthâya vukkati (B.).
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