Majjhima Nikaya - Sela Sutta

92. Sela Sutta - English MAJJHIMA NIKAYA II
5. 2. Selasuttaü
(92) To the Brahmin Sela

I heard thus. At one time the Blessed One was touring the country of Anguttaràpa
with a large community of bhikkhus, about one thousand two hundred and fifty and
entered a hamlet named âpana. The matted hair ascetic Keniya heard "The good
recluse Gotama, son of the Sàkyas touring the country of Anguttaràpa with a
large community of bhikkhus, about one thousand two hundred and fifty bhikkhus
have come to the hamlet âpana. Of him, fame has spread, he is blessed, all
knowing, endowed with knowledge and conduct, well gone, knows of the worlds, is
incomparable tamer of those to be tamed, Teacher of gods and men, enlightened
and blessed. He preaches to the world together with its gods Màras, Brahmàs, the
community of recluses and brahmins and gods and men, that Teaching by himself
known and realized. That Teaching is good at the beginning, in the middle and
the end. Is full of meaning even in the letter and it explains the complete and
pure holy life. It is good to see such worthy ones.û
Then the matted hair ascetic Keniya approached the Blessed One, exchanged
friendly greetings and sat on a side. The Blessed One addressed the matted hair
ascetic instructing, advising inciting and making his heart light. The matted
hair ascetic Keniya, instructed, advised, incited and made light hearted by the
Blessed One said thus:"May the Blessed One accept tomorrow's meal from me
together with the community of bhikkhus". When this was said the Blessed One
said: "O! Keniya, the community of bhikkhus is too large about one thousand two
hundred and fifty, are the brahmins pleased about this. For the second time
Keniya said: "O! Gotama, even if there are one thousand two hundred and
fiftybhikkhus, the brahmins are pleased. May the Blessed One accept tomorrow's
meal from me together with the community of bhikkhus. " For the second time the
Blessed One said:"O! keniya, there are about one thousand two hundred and fifty
bhikkhus, are the brahmins pleased about this?" For the third time Keniya said:
"O! Gotama, whatever the number of bhikkhus, even if, one thousand two hundred
and fifty bhikkhus, the brahmins are pleased, may the Blessed One accept
tomorrow's meal from me, together with the community of bhikkhus. " The Blessed
One accepted in silence.
Then Keniya the matted hair ascetic knew that the Blessed One had accepted, got
up from his seat, went to his hermitage, addressed his friends and blood
relations: "Good sirs, listen, I have invitedthe recluse Gotama for tomorrow's
meal together with the community of bhikkhus, whatever work there is to be done,
do them for me. " They accepted, Keniya the matted hair ascetic's request and
some of them dug furnaces, others axed wood. Some washed vessels, placed water
vessels and some arranged seats.
The matted hair ascetic Keniya himself arranged the circular hall
At that time the brahmin Sela lived in âpana perfect in the three Vedas, learned
in the rites and rituals as officiating priest, learned in the phonology and
etymology of words and the fivefold history in words and grammar, and learned in
tracing the marks of a Great Man. And he taught these to three hundred young men
orally.
At that time Keniya the matted hair ascetic was friendly with the brahmin Sela.
The brahmin Sela accompanied by the three hundred young men, walking and
wandering for exercise turned towards the hermitage of the matted hair ascetic.
He saw the matted hair ascetics at work in the hermitage of Keniya, some digging
furnaces, others axing wood to light fire, washing vessels, placing water
vessels others arranging seats and Keniya the matted hair ascetic himself
arranging the circular hall. He said to Keniya. "Keniya, will there be a woman
brought here, or one given away, or will there be a great sacrifice, or is
Seniya Bimbisàra the king of Magadha invited for tomorrow's meal together with
his army? " "Sela, to me there would not be, a woman brought nor given away,
Seniya Bimbisàra the king of Magadha is not invited for tomorrow's meal together
with the army. Yet there is a great sacrifice for me the recluse Gotama son of
the Sàkyas, who has gone forth from the Sàkya clan is touring Anguttaràpa with a
large community of bhikkhus has come to âpana. Of him such fame has spread, he
is blessed, worthy, all knowing, endowed with knowledge and conduct, well gone,
knows the worlds, the incomparable tamer of those to be tamed, teacher of gods
and men, enlightened and blessed. I have invited him for tomorrow's meal
together with the community of bhikkhus.û
ßDoes good Keniya say enlightened"û ßGood Sela, I say enlightened.û ßDoes good
Keniya say enlightened?" ßGood Sela, I say enlightened.û Then it occurred to the
brahmin Sela. ßEven the sound `Enlightened' is rare in the world. The sacred
sayings handed down state thirty two marks of a Great Man, endowed with which
there are only two courses of action for the Great Man, not another. If he leads
a household life he becomes a universal monarch, a righteous king who would rule
the four quarters endowed with the seven jewels. They are the jewels of the,
wheel, elephant, horse, gem, woman, householder and advisor. He has more than a
thousand sons, clever heroic figures who would defeat foreign armies. They would
rule the country surrounded by the ocean righteously without weapons and
punishments. If he leaves the household and goes forth, becomes worthy, all
knowing rolls the veil away from the world.
ßGood Keniya, where does the Enlightened One, worthy and all knowing live now?û
Keniya the matted hair ascetic stretched out his right hand and said ßThere! in
the deep green forest.û
Then the brahmin Sela with the three hundred young men approached the Blessed
One, while going he addressed the young men. "Good sirs, come with little noise
raising one foot after the other. Blessed Ones are far from noise and live alone
like lions. While I am talking with the recluse Gotama, do not arouse
conversations among yourselves and enter when our conversation ends.û
Then the brahmin Sela approached the Blessed One, exchanged friendly greetings
sat on a side, and examined the thirty two marks of a Great Man. He saw most of
the marks of a Great Man, except two. Doubting whether the pudendum was encased
and whether the tongue was large enough to cover the face, he was dissatisfied.
Then it occurred to the Blessed One. The brahmin Sela sees most of the marks of
a Great Man except two, he has doubts, as to whether the pudendum is encased and
the tongue is large enough to cover
the face. Then the Blessed One performed a psychic exercise so that the brahmin
Sela could see the Blessed One's pudendum encased and the large tongue. The
Blessed One pulled out his tongue and with it, touched both ear lobes, nostrils
and the whole forehead, and covered up the whole face with it.
Then it occurred to the brahmin Ssla, indeed the recluse Gotama is endowed with
all the thirty two marks of a Great Man, yet we do not know whether he is
enlightened. I have heard it said by learned aged brahmins, that Great Men when
praised disclose what they are, whether they are worthy and enlightened What if
I eulogize the recluse Gotama with meaningful verses and so he eulogized the
Blessed One saying
these verses.
548. "O! Blessed One, you are handsome, is pleasant,
Is well born, lovely to look at, has a golden hue, and strong white teeth.
549. To those born well, there are marks
All the marks of a Great Man are evident on your body.
550. You have pleasant eyes a beautiful mouth, a straight and majestic body
In the midst of the community you shine like the sun.
551. The bhikkhu with good looks is like a statue of gold
What is the use of your recluseship when so handsome?
552. You should be a universal monarch, the leading charioteer
Winning over the four quarters, should be the monarch of Jambudvãpa.
553. Should have warrior subordinate kings attached to you,
O! Gotama, king of kings, win over the humans and rule".
554. The Blessed One said:
ßSela, I am the righteous king, incomparable,
Righteously I turn the wheel, not ever to be stopped.û
555. The brahmin Sela said:
ß Acknowledges, complete Knowledge, and incomparable righteous rulership
Says will turn the wheel of the Teaching righteously.
556. Who are the good one's generals, the disciples following the Teacher,
For the wheel of the Teaching to roll on, who would roll it afterwards.û
557. The Blessed One said:
ßSela, this incomparable wheel of righteousness rolled by me,
Will be rolled afterwards by Sàriputta, born after the Thus Gone One.
558. Brahmin, I realized what should be realized, developed what should be
developed.
Dispelled what should be dispelled, therefore I'm enlightened.û
559. The brahmin Sela said:
ßO! Brahmin, put an end to my doubts, and release me.
The presence of an enlightened one is very rare.û
560. "That which is rare in the world has appeared.
The all enlightened one, the incomparable surgeon.
561. Become Mahà Brahmà have destroyed the army of Death,
Winning over, all enemies, abides happily without fear.û
562. "Good sirs listen to what the wise one says,
The surgeon, the great hero, roars in the forest like a lion
563. Become Mahà Brahmà have destroyed the army of Death
Seeing him who would not be pleased except those with low birth
564. Those that wish to follow me, do so, the others could go
Now I go forth in the noble wise one's dispensation.û
565. "If you, sir, like the dispensation of the all enlightened one,
We too will go forth in the noble wise one's dispensation."
566. "O! Blessed One, these three hundred brahmins with clasped hands,
Beg for the going forth in your dispensation.û
567. The Blessed One said:
ßSela, the holy life is well proclaimed, is here and now and not a matter of
time,
Here the not deluded go forth and train diligently"
The brahmin Sela together with his following obtained the going forth, as
homeless and the higher ordination in the dispensation of the Blessed One.
Keniya, the matted hair ascetic at the end of that night prepared plenty of
nourishing eatables and drinks in his hermitage and informed the Blessed One:
ßIt is time venerable sir, the food is ready.û
The Blessed One put on robes in the morning, taking bowl and robes approached
the matted hair ascetic's hermitage and sat on the prepared seats together with
the community of bhikkhus. Then Keniya, the matted hair ascetic with his own
hands served and satisfied the community of bhikkhus headed by the Enlightened
One with the nourishing eatables and drinks. When the Blessed One had finished
partaking the meal, and had put the bowl away, Keniya took a low seat, sat on a
side and the Blessed One addressed the thanks giving with these verses.
568. "Of sacrifices the fire sacrifice is the chief,
OfV edic hymns Sàvitti is the foremost.
The king is chief for humans,
The ocean is chief for all rivers.
569. To the constellation the moon is chief, to give warmth the Sun is chief,
To those desiring merit the Community of bhikkhus is the chief.û
The Blessed One did the thanksgiving with these verses, got up from his seat and
went away.
Then venerable Sela and his following, alone, withdrawn from the crowd and
secluded abode diligently for dispelling. Before long, for whatever purpose sons
of clansmen rightfully go forth from a household, that highest end of the holy
life, he here and now knew, realized and abode. He knew, birth is destroyed, the
holy life is lived to the end, what should be done, is done, there is nothing
more to wish. Venerable Sela and his following became arahants. Then venerable
Sela approached the Blessed One together with his following. Arranging the robe
on one shoulder, clasping hands towards the Blessed One addressed the Blessed
One in verses.
570. "Wise One, this is the eighth day, after we took your refuge.
Within seven nights we are tamed in your dispensation.
571. You are enlightened, Teacher, the sage who has overcome Death,
You crossed, destroying the dormant tendencies and crosses over this populace.
572. Endearments overcome have destroyed desires,
Is like a lion without seizures, fears big and small overcome.
573. Here stand the three hundred bhikkhus with clasped hands
Hero, we worship your feet, Great Men worship the Teacher.