Scaring Away a Crow

4.1A summary:

Scaring Away a Crow

4.2The Blessed Buddha was staying in Śrāvastī, in the Jetavana, Anāthapiṇḍada’s Park, when the ignorant Virūḍhaka had slaughtered the Śākya inhabitants of Kapilavastu, although they had not been aggressive, antagonistic, or thieving. The two sons of the venerable Ānanda’s younger sister were left orphaned, and were wandering aimlessly when traders from Śrāvastī on their way to Kapilavastu on business recognized the two good-looking lads and asked, “Boys, where are your parents?”

“They were killed by the ignorant Virūḍhaka,” they replied.

4.3“If your uncle, the famous monk known as reverend Ānanda, is staying in Śrāvastī, why don’t you go there?”

They replied, “Who would take us there?”

“We will take you.”

4.4After they traded their goods and made a profit, the traders set out for Śrāvastī with the two boys in tow. They left the boys at the gate of Jetavana, where the venerable Ānanda recognized them and asked, “Boys, where are your parents?”

“They were killed by the ignorant Virūḍhaka.”

4.5Because Ānanda cared for his kin, on hearing of their death he became choked with tears.

The monks asked him, “Venerable Ānanda, who are these two lads?”

“They are my sister’s boys.”

4.6“Why don’t you take them in?”

“I barely get enough from begging to fill my own stomach,” he replied. “Where out there can I get enough to provide for them?”

“If these two boys offer the monks herbs, [F.85.a] flowers, and fruits, in return the monks will give them the leftovers from their begging bowls.”

4.7After being taken in, the boys began to offer the monks herbs, flowers, and fruits, and in return the monks gave them the leftovers from their begging bowls. After a few days of giving the two their leftovers, they stopped. So Ānanda went out and about begging alms, but received only just enough to fill his own stomach. Eating half himself and giving the other half to the two boys, he became pallid, emaciated, feeble, withered, thin, and weak.

4.8Although they know, blessed buddhas may inquire about what they already know. Though they already know, they may inquire‍—or, even though they know, they may not inquire. They inquire when the time is right, not when the time has passed. Their inquiries are meaningful, not meaningless. In this way blessed buddhas dam the flow of meaningless inquiries.

4.9As blessed buddhas know the time for a meaningful inquiry, the Blessed Buddha asked the monks, “Monks, why has the monk Ānanda become pallid, emaciated, feeble, withered, thin, and weak?”

4.10“Blessed One,” they replied, “since the two sons of the venerable Ānanda’s younger sister were orphaned, he has gone out receiving only enough alms to fill his own mouth, half of which he takes for himself while the other half he gives to them. This has reduced the venerable Ānanda to such a state.”

4.11The Blessed One then asked the venerable Ānanda, “Will you not allow these two boys’ going forth?” [F.85.b]

“Blessed One, I will allow their going forth.”

4.12The Blessed One decreed, “In light of that, I give permission for food given to the saṅgha to be given to those wishing to go forth.”

4.13After the Blessed One gave permission for food that has been given to the saṅgha to be given to those wishing to go forth, the monks gave them food for a few days and then began to complain. The Blessed One then asked Ānanda a second time, “Did you refuse to allow these two boys’ going forth?”

“Reverend, the two of them are not yet fifteen.”

4.14“Can the two boys scare crows away from the saṅgha’s sleeping quarters?”

“Reverend, they can throw stones.”

“In that case, Ānanda, I give my permission to allow freely the going forth of those as young as seven years old, provided they can scare away crows.”

Ānanda then allowed the two to go forth.

4.15After Ānanda’s nephews went forth, Ānanda began to teach them to read, but after a few days of study they began to misbehave. The venerable Mahāmaudgalyāyana asked Ānanda, “Why do you not make these two novices study?”

“Elder,” replied Ānanda, “they do not listen to me. I do not know what to do, but I must compel these two novices to study.”

4.16Mahāmaudgalyāyana replied, “Elder, do as you say.”

So Ānanda began to make the two novices study. But again, after a few days, the two of them began to misbehave, and Ānanda asked Mahāmaudgalyāyana, “Elder, why can I not make these two novices study?”

“Ānanda, these two will not yet listen to me either.”

“Elder, the two novices must be given a little scare.”

4.17The venerable Mahāmaudgalyāyana said to the two, “Novices, [F.86.a] let’s do our daily practice.”

“Yes, noble one.”

“Bring something to sit on.”

4.18Mahāmaudgalyāyana then took the two novices for their daily practice. On the way, Mahāmaudgalyāyana conjured up an apparition of beings in the hell realms, who cried out from being cut, sliced, crushed, and hacked to pieces.

The two boys exclaimed, “Noble one, what is this?”

“Have a closer look,” he replied.

4.19The two of them approached and found what was being done there‍—the cutting, the slicing, the crushing, and the hacking to pieces. Some were being sliced apart by saws, some were being ground in mills, and some were being melted down in boiling vats. When they saw two boiling iron vats standing there empty, they asked, “Gentlemen, will no one be put into these two?”

4.20“No,” they replied. “For the two sons of noble Ānanda’s sister have gone forth and yet lazily pass their time. When their time has come and they die, they will be reborn here, so these two vats have been reserved for them.”

Terrified, they thought, “If we’re recognized, they’ll put us in those vats this very day,” and began to look all about them. They went to Mahāmaudgalyāyana, who asked, “Did you see something?”

“Noble one, we did.”

4.21“What?”

“Beings in the hell realms.”

“What were they doing there?”

4.22“They were doing all sorts of things‍—cutting, slicing, crushing, hacking to pieces,” they replied. “There, some were being sliced apart by saws, some were being ground in mills, and some were being melted down in boiling vats. [F.86.b] When we saw two boiling iron vats standing empty, we asked, ‘Gentlemen, will no one be put into these two?’ And they replied, ‘No. For the two sons of noble Ānanda’s sister have gone forth and yet lazily pass their time. When their time has come and they die, they’ll be reborn here, so these two have been reserved for them.’ ”

4.23Then Mahāmaudgalyāyana advised, “Thus, novices, knowing that disadvantages such as these, and others too, accrue from laziness, apply yourselves diligently.”

4.24The two nephews began to apply themselves to their studies with diligence. If they thought of the beings in the hell realms in the morning, they would not even eat; if they thought of them in the afternoon, they would vomit up what they had eaten. Thus it was that the two of them became pallid, emaciated, feeble, withered, thin, and weak.

4.25Mahāmaudgalyāyana said, “Ānanda, the two have become dispirited.”

“Elder, now they must be inspired.”

Mahāmaudgalyāyana said to the two, “Novices, let’s go for our daily practice.”

“Noble one,” they replied, “we will go, but we will not return to that one place.”

“Bring something to sit on.”

4.26Mahāmaudgalyāyana then took the two novices for their daily practice. On the way, Mahāmaudgalyāyana conjured up an apparition of the gods, along with the sounds of the vīṇā, ektara, balari, mahāti, and the sughoṣak.

4.27The two boys exclaimed, “Noble one, what is this?”

“Have a closer look,” he replied.

The two of them approached and followed the sounds of the vīṇā, ektara, balari, mahāti, and the sughoṣak to where there stood two palaces strewn with beds and divans replete with goddesses. Seeing no gods in either palace, they inquired, “Mistresses, [F.87.a] are there no gods in either of these palaces?”

“No, there are none.”

4.28“Why is that?”

“The two sons of noble Ānanda’s sister have gone forth, and since they act and apply themselves diligently, when their time has come and they die, they will be reborn here, so these two have been reserved for them.”

4.29Overjoyed, they went to Mahāmaudgalyāyana, who again asked, “Did you see something?”

“Noble one, we did.”

“What?”

“Gods.”

4.30“What were they doing?”

“We could hear the sounds of the vīṇā, ektara, balari, mahāti, and the sughoṣak, and found two palaces strewn with beds and divans replete with goddesses, who said, ‘The two sons of noble Ānanda’s sister have gone forth, and since they act and apply themselves diligently, when their time has come and they die, they will be reborn here, so these two have been reserved for them.’ ”

4.31Then Mahāmaudgalyāyana advised, “Thus, novices, knowing that advantages such as these, and others too, accrue from diligence, apply yourselves.” [B8]

The two of them began to apply themselves to their studies and receive instructions. After a time, they came across the following passage in the Nidānasaṃyukta:

4.32Then, taking dirt from the tip of his fingernail, the Blessed One asked the monks, “Monks, what do you think? Which is more, the dirt I take from the tip of my fingernail or the dirt that is upon this earth?” [F.87.b]

4.33“Reverend, the dirt the Blessed One takes from the tip of his fingernail is less, much less, a great deal less, entirely less. If we used those specks to produce all the dirt on the earth, it would not amount to even one hundredth, it would not amount to one thousandth of it, or one hundred thousandth of it; it would not equal, match, number, compare to, or cause it.”

4.34“Monks,” the Blessed One replied, “sentient beings equal in number to the particles of dirt on the earth die among hell realm beings only to be reborn among hell realm beings, while sentient beings equal in number only to the particles of dirt on the tip of my fingernail die among hell realm beings and are reborn among humans.

4.35“Sentient beings equal in number to the particles of dirt on the earth die among hell realm beings only to be reborn among animals, while sentient beings equal in number only to the particles of dirt on the tip of my fingernail die among hell realm beings and are reborn among humans.

4.36“Sentient beings equal in number to the particles of dirt on the earth die among hell realm beings only to be reborn among spirits, while sentient beings equal in number only to the particles of dirt on the tip of my fingernail die among hell realm beings and are reborn among humans.

4.37“Sentient beings equal in number to the particles of dirt on the earth die among hell realm beings only to be reborn among hell realm beings, while sentient beings equal in number only to the particles of dirt on the tip of my fingernail die among hell realm beings and are reborn among gods.

4.38“Sentient beings equal in number to the particles of dirt on the earth die among hell realm beings [F.88.a] only to be reborn among animals, while sentient beings equal in number only to the particles of dirt on the tip of my fingernail die among hell realm beings and are reborn among gods.

4.39“Sentient beings equal in number to the particles of dirt on the earth die among hell realm beings only to be reborn among spirits, while sentient beings equal in number only to the particles of dirt on the tip of my fingernail die among hell realm beings and are reborn among gods.

4.40“Sentient beings equal in number to the particles of dirt on the earth die among animals only to be reborn among animals, while sentient beings equal in number only to the particles of dirt on the tip of my fingernail die among animals and are reborn among humans.

4.41“Sentient beings equal in number to the particles of dirt on the earth die among animals only to be reborn among hell realm beings, while sentient beings equal in number only to the particles of dirt on the tip of my fingernail die among animals and are reborn among humans.

4.42“Sentient beings equal in number to the particles of dirt on the earth die among animals only to be reborn among spirits, while sentient beings equal in number only to the particles of dirt on the tip of my fingernail die among animals and are reborn among humans.

4.43“Sentient beings equal in number to the particles of dirt on the earth die among animals only to be reborn among animals, while sentient beings equal in number only to the particles of dirt on the tip of my fingernail die among animals and are reborn among gods.

4.44“Sentient beings equal in number to the particles of dirt on the earth die among animals only to be reborn among hell realm beings, while [F.88.b] sentient beings equal in number only to the particles of dirt on the tip of my fingernail die among animals and are reborn among gods.

4.45“Sentient beings equal in number to the particles of dirt on the earth die among animals only to be reborn among spirits, while sentient beings equal in number only to the particles of dirt on the tip of my fingernail die among animals and are reborn among gods.

4.46“Sentient beings equal in number to the particles of dirt on the earth die among spirits only to be reborn among spirits, while sentient beings equal in number only to the particles of dirt on the tip of my fingernail die among spirits and are reborn among humans.

4.47“Sentient beings equal in number to the particles of dirt on the earth die among spirits only to be reborn among hell realm beings, while sentient beings equal in number only to the particles of dirt on the tip of my fingernail die among spirits and are reborn among humans.

4.48“Sentient beings equal in number to the particles of dirt on the earth die among spirits only to be reborn among animals, while sentient beings equal in number only to the particles of dirt on the tip of my fingernail die among spirits and are reborn among humans.

4.49“Sentient beings equal in number to the particles of dirt on the earth die among spirits only to be reborn among spirits, while sentient beings equal in number only to the particles of dirt on the tip of my fingernail die among spirits and are reborn among gods.

4.50“Sentient beings equal in number to the particles of dirt on the earth die among spirits only to be reborn among hell realm beings, while sentient beings equal in number only to the particles of dirt on the tip of my fingernail [F.89.a] die among spirits and are reborn among gods.

4.51“Sentient beings equal in number to the particles of dirt on the earth die among spirits only to be reborn among animals, while sentient beings equal in number only to the particles of dirt on the tip of my fingernail die among spirits and are reborn among gods.

4.52“Sentient beings equal in number to the particles of dirt on the earth die among gods only to be reborn among hell realm beings, while sentient beings equal in number only to the particles of dirt on the tip of my fingernail die among gods and are reborn among gods.

4.53“Sentient beings equal in number to the particles of dirt on the earth die among gods only to be reborn among animals, while sentient beings equal in number only to the particles of dirt on the tip of my fingernail die among gods and are reborn among gods.

4.54“Sentient beings equal in number to the particles of dirt on the earth die among gods only to be reborn among spirits, while sentient beings equal in number only to the particles of dirt on the tip of my fingernail die among gods and are reborn among gods.

4.55“Sentient beings equal in number to the particles of dirt on the earth die among humans only to be reborn among hell realm beings, while sentient beings equal in number only to the particles of dirt on the tip of my fingernail die among humans and are reborn among humans.

4.56“Sentient beings equal in number to the particles of dirt on the earth die among humans only to be reborn among animals, while sentient beings equal in number only to the particles of dirt on the tip of my fingernail die among humans and are reborn among humans. [F.89.b]

4.57“Sentient beings equal in number to the particles of dirt on the earth die among humans only to be reborn among spirits, while sentient beings equal in number only to the particles of dirt on the tip of my fingernail die among humans and are reborn among humans.”

4.58Upon reciting this chapter, called “Repeating Like a Wheel,” the two boys asked Mahāmaudgalyāyana, “Noble one, will we too die among gods and humans only to be reborn among hell realm beings, animals, and spirits?”

4.59“Gentlemen, so long as the continuum of disturbing emotions remains uninterrupted, you must spin like a waterwheel through the cycle of five migrations.”

Disheartened, they spoke this verse:

4.61“Noble one, henceforth, come what may, as we cycle through saṃsāra we must avoid engaging with such disturbing emotions, so please, we ask that you teach us the Dharma.”

4.62Mahāmaudgalyāyana knew their thoughts, their tendencies, their characters, and their natures. Drawing on all he had heard, he taught them the Dharma so that they abandoned all disturbing emotions and actualized arhatship, becoming arhats free of attachment to the three realms, for whom filth was equal to gold, who knew space like the palm of their hands, whose emotions had been cooled as if treated by a balm of sandalwood, whose knowledge had rent open the shell. They attained knowledge, clairvoyance, and discerning wisdom. They turned their backs on worldly gain, desires, and esteem and were venerated, honored, and saluted by Indra and the gods who attend him. [F.90.a]

4.63When the monks saw the two novices miraculously flying through the air, picking flowers, they asked one another, “Venerables, who are those two?”

One said, “They are the two novices, kin to Ānanda.”

4.64“Our begging bowls are black with wear. Our teeth are falling out and our hair turns grey, and yet we have not achieved even stillness of mind. Venerable, if these two were but seven years old when they went forth and yet abandoned all disturbing emotions and actualized arhatship, then the Blessed One spoke well when he said, ‘Ānanda, awakening is attained through diligence.’ ”

4.65In doubt, the monks went to he who severs all doubts, the Blessed Buddha, and asked, “Reverend, what actions have these two novices done that the fruition of such an act should lead them to go forth at the mere age of seven, and that the Blessed One exempted them alone from the vinaya guidelines he laid down for his disciples, allowing them to abandon all disturbing emotions and actualize arhatship?”

4.66The Blessed One responded, “Monks, these two themselves performed the actions‍—which have accrued a heap of karma, whose results have matured, which follow their course like an irrigation channel, which inevitably come to be‍—so who else will experience the actions they themselves have performed and accrued? Monks, actions which have been performed and accrued do not ripen upon the external elements. They do not ripen upon the element of water, upon the element of fire, nor upon the element of wind. Likewise, virtuous and nonvirtuous actions which have been performed and accrued come to fruition upon the aggregates, elements, and seats of the senses of the one who performed them, for:

4.68“Monks, earlier in this fortunate eon, when the lifespan of beings lasted twenty thousand years, there appeared in the world a teacher, a tathāgata, an arhat, a perfectly awakened buddha, a knowledgeable and venerable one, a sugata, one who knew the world, an unsurpassed guide who tamed beings, a teacher to gods and men, the Blessed Buddha Kāśyapa.

4.69“With his following of twenty thousand monks, he lived and stayed in the Deer Park of Ṛṣipatana near Vārāṇasī. In Vārāṇasī there lived two householders and friends, who had wished to go forth in their youth, but had not received leave to go forth from their relatives. At a certain point, after their youth had faded, they abdicated in favor of their relatives and went forth into the teachings of the perfectly awakened Buddha Kāśyapa. As was natural given their junior status, they were always expected to perform errands, and so the monks would order them about, saying, ‘You two old-timers! Go do this!’ and ‘You two old-timers! Bring me that!’

4.70“One of them had a placid nature but the other was quick-tempered. Thus when the one became angry, the other would say, ‘Old-timer, if you couldn’t go forth when you were young, why get angry now?’

4.71“Though they lived the holy life for the remainder of their lives, they did not achieve any of the host of qualities. So later, as they died, they said this prayer: ‘We have lived the holy life for what remained of our lives under the Blessed One, the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly awakened Buddha, the hallowed and unsurpassed Kāśyapa, but we have achieved none of the host of qualities. Therefore, may the roots of virtue from having lived the holy life for what remained of our lives ensure that at the mere age of seven we go forth into the teachings of the Blessed Buddha Śākyamuni, whose coming has been foretold in a prophecy that the blessed tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly awakened Buddha Kāśyapa gave to a wonderful brahmin boy: “In the future, when the lifespans of beings last one hundred years, you brahmin boy [F.91.a] will become the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly awakened Buddha, the knowledgeable and venerable one, the sugata, the one who knows the world, the unsurpassed guide who tames beings, the teacher to gods and men, the Blessed Buddha Śākyamuni.” And further, may the Blessed One exempt us alone from the vinaya guidelines he laid down for his disciples, allowing us to abandon all disturbing emotions and actualize arhatship.’

4.72“Monks, the two householders of that time are now these two novices. And due to the prayer that they made, they have gone forth at the mere age of seven, and I have exempted them alone from the vinaya guidelines I laid down for my disciples, allowing them to abandon all disturbing emotions and actualize arhatship.”

Violators

4.73While the Blessed Buddha was journeying and passing through Kāśī, he arrived at a place and smiled. As is natural, when blessed buddhas smile, blue, yellow, red, white, maroon, crystalline, and silvery rays of light emerge from their mouths, some streaming downwards and some streaming upwards.

4.74Those that streamed downwards proceeded to the hell realms of Sañjīva, Kālasūtra, Saṅghāta, Raurava, Mahāraurava, Tapana, Pratāpana, Avīci, Arbuda, [F.91.b] Nirarbuda, Aṭaṭa, Hahava, Huhuva, Utpala, Padma, and Mahāpadma. Alighting on and cooling those in the hot hells and alighting on and warming those in the cold hells, these rays of light interrupted the various harms inflicted on those hell realm beings, prompting the denizens of hell to think, “Gentlemen, what is this? Have we died, moved on, and taken birth elsewhere?”

4.75To engender faith in them, the Blessed One sent an emanation which, when they saw it, prompted them to think, “Gentlemen, we have not died and moved on, nor have we been born elsewhere. Rather, the various harms inflicted on us have been interrupted by a being we have never seen before.”

4.76Through the faith they felt in the emanation, the karma that led them to experience the hell realms was exhausted and they took rebirth as gods or humans, forms in which they became fit vessels for the truth.

4.77Those rays of light that streamed upwards reached the gods of Cāturmahārājika, Trāyastriṃśa, Yāma, Tuṣita Nirmāṇarati, Paranirmitavaśavartina, Brahmakāyikā, Brahmapurohita, Mahābrahman, Parīttābha Apramāṇābha Ābhāsvara, Parīttaśubha Apramāṇaśubha, Śubhakṛtsna, Anabhraka, Puṇyaprasava, Bṛhatphala, Abṛha, Atapa, Sudṛśa, Sudarśana, and Akaniṣṭha. Resonating with the words “impermanence,” “subject to suffering,” “empty,” and “selfless,” the rays of light proclaimed these two verses: [F.92.a]

4.79The rays of light then unfurled through the worlds of the great billionfold universe, so that they would, in the future, be drawn into the Blessed One’s sphere. If the Blessed One was about to foretell actions of the past, the rays of light would fade into the space behind the Blessed One. If the Blessed One was about to foretell actions of the future, the rays of light would fade into the space before the Blessed One. If the Blessed One was about to foretell rebirth as a hell realm being, the rays of light would fade into the soles of his feet. If the Blessed One was about to foretell rebirth as an animal, the rays of light would fade into his ankle. If the Blessed One was about to foretell rebirth as a spirit, the rays of light would fade into his big toe. If the Blessed One was about to foretell rebirth as a human, the rays of light would fade into his knee. If the Blessed One was about to foretell a reign as a powerful king of the world, the rays of light would fade into the palm of his left hand. If the Blessed One was about to foretell a reign as a king of the world, the rays of light would fade into the palm of his right hand. If the Blessed One was about to foretell rebirth as a god, the rays of light would fade into his navel. If the Blessed One was about to foretell a śrāvaka’s awakening, the rays of light would fade into his mouth. If the Blessed One was about to foretell a pratyekabuddha’s awakening, the rays of light would fade into the tuft of hair at his brow. If the Blessed One was about to foretell unsurpassed, complete and perfect awakening, the rays of light would fade into the uṣṇīṣa at his crown.

4.80The rays of light then circled the Blessed One three times and faded into the soles of his feet. The venerable Ānanda then pressed his palms together and said to the Blessed One, “Reverend, not without cause or condition do tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly awakened buddhas [F.92.b] smile. If so, reverend, what then has caused you to smile? What condition has occasioned it?” And then he asked again in verse:

4.82The Blessed One replied, “Ānanda, it is like this. Not without cause or condition do tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly awakened buddhas smile. Ānanda, a great many sinister men here have violated a great many nuns by bodily forcing themselves upon them. For this, when they die, they will pass from this life to be reborn among the denizens of hell.”

4.83A monk then went to where the Blessed One was, pressed his palms together and bowed, appealing to him in these words: “Reverend, I am one of the many sinister men who have bodily and forcibly violated nuns.”

“Fool, have you really committed this act?”

“Reverend, indeed I have.”

4.84The Blessed One then [F.93.a] decreed to the monks, “Monks, a person who has violated a nun will not take root in this Dharma and Vinaya. Therefore, monks, you must banish from this Dharma and the Vinaya those persons who have violated a nun. If someone wishing to go forth approaches any of you, you should ask, ‘You have not violated a nun, have you?’ If you allow going forth without asking this, a breach occurs.”

Impostors

4.85The Blessed Buddha was staying in Śrāvastī, in the Jetavana, Anāthapiṇḍada’s Park, when a householder of Śrāvastī came to Jetavana.

4.86When monks are not free from desire, it leads to saṅgha remnant offenses. Some incur offenses in their youth and then grow old, and others incur offenses in their maturity. When such an offense occurs, the monks who retain the sūtras, retain the vinaya, and retain the mātṛkā impose, in accordance with the Dharma, a sentence on the offender. The offender must serve the saṅgha while undergoing his full probation and penance. According to some, this service includes providing the saṅgha with drinks. According to others, it includes fanning them.

4.87At a certain point, the householder from Śrāvastī saw a spread of fine shelters with choice food laid out for the community and thought, “Though there is some good to their teaching, there are flaws too‍—they lack honor and respect for those elders they put to work.”

4.88When the group of six heard him say this, they asked, “What did you say, householder?”

“Noble ones, though there is some good to your teaching, you too have flaws.”

4.89“Householder, what are our flaws?”

“Noble ones,” he replied, “you lack honor and respect for the elders by putting them to work.”

4.90“There is a reason we put even elders to work.” [F.93.b]

“Noble ones, if I were to go forth, would you put me to work too?”

They replied, “What would you say if someone much more distinguished than you were to go forth and we put even him to work?”

The householder thought, “If I were to go forth, they would also put me to work. I must find some way around it.”

4.91As the householder was possessed of a natural intelligence, while in the monks’ company he learned how to conduct himself. Having learned that, he set off for a remote land, where he shaved off his hair and beard, donned saffron robes, and settled down.

4.92After a time, monks who were paying homage to stūpas passed by. When the pilgrims saw him they said, “Elder, in Śrāvastī there resides one who is verily a lord of Dharma. Around him, gods are always appearing in the flesh. Vast lights also appear, divine sounds are heard, as are the auguries of all-knowing beings, and the two forms of wealth‍—material wealth and the wealth of Dharma‍—are to be had. Why then do you not go to Śrāvastī?”

“Venerables, I shall remain right here.”

4.93They implored him again and again, “Elder, in Śrāvastī there verily resides a lord of Dharma. Around him always are gods appearing in the flesh. Vast lights also appear, divine sounds are heard, as are the auguries of all-knowing beings, and the two forms of wealth‍—material wealth and the wealth of Dharma‍—are to be had. Why then do you not go to Śrāvastī?”

4.94At the urging of his fellow brahmacārin, he set off for Śrāvastī. In time, he saw the spread of fine shelters with choice food laid out for the community there and thought, “If I sit in the front row, I’ll be called upon to demonstrate my knowledge.” Passing by the first seat, he sat down on the second. [F.94.a]

4.95When the all-knowing Kauṇḍinya arrived, he thought, “If the Blessed One declared that I am first among those who wear the monk’s mantle standard, then who is this?” On thinking it over, Kauṇḍinya saw that he was an impostor and dismissed him with a snap of his fingers. The venerable Aśvajit, Bhadrika, Vāṣpa, Mahānāman, Yaśas, Pūrṇa, Vimala, Gavāmpati, Subāhu, the venerable Śāriputra, the venerable Mahāmaudgalyāyana, and all the eldest of elder monks then also dismissed him with the snap of their fingers.

4.96Some time later he approached the group of six, and they asked him, “Elder, how many years have you passed?”

“If you’re asking my age, I have seen sixty years,” he replied.

4.97They asked, “If the Blessed One himself has not passed sixty years, how could you?” And they asked him, “Old-timer, who is your preceptor?”

He replied, “Who is the ascetic Gautama’s preceptor?”

4.98They exclaimed, “Venerables, this old-timer claims he has taken up these signifiers on his own.” With this, they grabbed him by his arms and legs, dragged him before the senior monks and said, “Reverend saṅgha, please listen! If the Blessed One was the first self-ordained one in this world, this old-timer is the second. Or so he claims.” And with that they led him away.

4.99The Blessed One then addressed the monks: “Monks, this impostor will not take root in this Dharma and Vinaya; therefore, you must banish impostors from this Dharma and Vinaya. If someone wishing to go forth approaches any of you, ask him, ‘You are not an impostor, are you?’ If you allow going forth without asking this, a breach occurs.” [F.94.b]

4.100Venerable Upāli asked the Blessed One, “Reverend, if the Blessed One says an impostor should be excluded, then reverend, what constitutes an impostor?”

“Upāli, were he to later participate in the restoration two or three times with monks of good standing, he would thereby be an imposter.”

Person labeled a paṇḍaka

4.101The Blessed Buddha was staying in Śrāvastī, in the Jetavana, Anāthapiṇḍada’s Park, when a brahmin living in Śrāvastī took a wife of equal caste and together they played with, took pleasure in, and amused one another. The wife with whom he had played, taken pleasure, and amused himself soon conceived a child. After eight or nine months, a paṇḍaka child was born who, though resembling a boy, was neither female nor male. Still, they nurtured and raised the child until it grew up.

4.102While the child was playing with a group of children, he showed them his sex organs, at which point they asked him, “What are you?”

He replied, “I’m a person labeled a paṇḍaka.”

4.103“You’re a brahmin,” they said. “It’s not right to bring ill repute upon your family, so do not behave like this.”

They said to his parents, “You must stop this person labeled a paṇḍaka of yours from behaving like this.”

4.104His parents then said to him, “Person labeled a paṇḍaka, we are brahmins. It is not right to bring ill repute upon our family. Do not behave so.”

4.105Though this put a stop to that, the person labeled a paṇḍaka did not linger. He went to Jetavana and, after some time, he saw a group of young monks and thought, “If I were to go forth, they could play the role of a male for me while I could play the role of a female for them.” [F.95.a]

He then approached a monk and said, “Noble one, I want to go forth.”

4.106“Have your parents given you their permission?” asked the monk.

“They have not.”

4.107“Go and ask your parents.”

He went to his parents and said, “Father, Mother, I want to go forth.”

4.108Depressed, the two of them thought, “His going forth will require our parting with him.” Then they said to him, “Person labeled a paṇḍaka, we give you our permission.”

He went to the monk and said, “Noble one, my parents have given me permission, so please allow my going forth.”

4.109After his going forth was allowed and he was granted ordination, he exposed his sex organs in the presence of monks, whereupon they asked him, “What are you? A person labeled a paṇḍaka?”

4.110When he acknowledged that he was, the monks appealed to the Blessed One, and the Blessed One said to the monks, “A person labeled a paṇḍaka will not take root in this Dharma and Vinaya; therefore, you must banish people labeled paṇḍakas from this Dharma and Vinaya. If someone wishing to go forth approaches any of you, ask him, ‘You are not a person labeled a paṇḍaka, are you?’ If you allow going forth without asking this, a breach occurs.”

4.111“Monks, there are five kinds of persons labeled paṇḍakas. What are they? They are intersex persons, rhythmic-consecutive persons, sexually submissive persons, persons with a voyeuristic fetish, and persons with a sexual disability. What is a intersex person? One who is born neither a female nor a male. What is a rhythmic-consecutive person? Someone who is female for half the month yet becomes male during the other half. What is a sexually submissive person? One who becomes erect if embraced by another. What is a person with a voyeuristic fetish? One who becomes erect at the sight of others’ exertion. [F.95.b] What is a person with a sexual disability? A person whose sexual organs have been disabled by disease, or removed with some instrument.

4.112“If the first four types of persons labeled paṇḍakas‍—intersex persons, rhythmic-consecutive person, sexually submissive persons, and persons with a voyeuristic fetish‍—have not gone forth, you should not allow their going forth. If they have gone forth, they should be banished. As for a person with a sexual disability, if they have not gone forth, you should not allow their going forth. If they have gone forth, they should be left as they are, provided they do not show an inclination to change. If they show an inclination to change, they should be banished.”

Creatures

Saṅgharakṣita and the Shape-Shifting Nāga

The shape-shifting nāga who finds faith in the Dharma

4.113While the Blessed Buddha was staying in Śrāvastī, in the Jetavana, Anāthapiṇḍada’s Park, the nāgas thrice felt fiery sand fall from the heavens upon them, reducing their bodies to mere skeletons. After fiery sand thrice fell from the heavens upon a young nāga, reducing his body to that of a mere skeleton, he asked his mother, “Mother, how long must I endure such suffering?”

“Son, for as long as you are in this life.”

4.114Through all of this, fiery sand had not fallen on other nāgas who possessed miraculous powers and great might, prompting him to ask, “Mother, why did it not fall upon them?”

His mother replied, “It did not fall upon them because they possess miraculous powers and great might; they live for eons and they sustain the earth. Even the garuḍa Suparṇi could not dislodge them.”

4.115Through all of this, fiery sand had not fallen on a number of scrawny nāgas either, prompting him to ask, “Mother, why did it not fall upon those of their type?”

“It did not fall upon them because they took refuge and adopted the precepts in the presence of the Blessed One.”

“If that is so, [F.96.a] then I too shall take refuge and adopt the precepts in the presence of the Blessed One.”

4.116“Son, a single life’s suffering is easy to bear, that of many lifetimes is not. If you take refuge and adopt the precepts in the presence of the Blessed One, but then do not properly heed them, you will have to endure suffering as a denizen in the hell realms for a long time to come.”

4.117The young nāga thought, “What suffering could be worse than my present suffering? I shall take refuge and adopt the precepts in the presence of the Blessed One.”

Conjuring up the appearance of a brahmin, he set off for Jetavana, where he saw monks applying themselves to and abiding in meditation, recitation, yoga, and concentration. Upon seeing them, he felt faith and thought, “Oh my! Should I first take refuge and adopt the precepts or go forth?”

4.118On thinking it over, he decided, “I shall go forth,” and with that he approached a monk and said, “Noble one, I want to go forth.”

“As I am new, you should go to someone else, an elder.”

“Noble one, I do not know anyone else. This is my first time in the presence of a noble being, so I ask you, please, introduce me to a monk.”

4.119As the new monk’s preceptor was a hermit living in the forest, the monk took the nāga disguised as a brahmin to see him and said, “Preceptor, as this noble son wants to go forth, I ask that you allow him to go forth.”

The preceptor replied, “My dear sir, the Blessed One said, ‘Monks, one could accept being pressed into work as a butcher, but it is not right to leave the life once you have gone forth and been ordained.’ This brahmin would go to the hells [F.96.b] and I too would fall, so I will not ordain him.”

4.120“Please, preceptor,” the monk replied, “all you need do is allow his going forth and I shall undertake to train and instruct him.”

After the preceptor had allowed the nāga’s going forth and ordained him, the preceptor said to the monk, “My dear sir, you and he now share a preceptor. As his instructor, you must quiz him, you must instruct him, and you must train him.”

4.121The monk recited the Ekottarikāgama and then had the nāga repeat it. As he did so with great vigor, it took on the cadence of a prayer. The monk instructor’s eyes lit up with joy and the monk said to the nāga disguised as a brahmin, “My dear sir, shall we seek alms together or on our own?”

4.122The nāga disguised as a brahmin thought, “I cannot live on the things humans eat; I had better return to the land of nāgas, where I can imbibe ambrosia, and return once I’ve eaten.”

“Instructor, let us seek them on our own.”

“Very well, my dear sir,” replied the monk.

4.123The nāga would drink the ambrosia of the gods in the land of nāgas and then return. As nāgas require a lot of sleep, he would soon fall into slumber. The monk would return later from his alms round as the nāga was rising from his nap.

4.124One day, the monk received alms right away, took them, and headed home. As he drew near, he heard a sound, like a smith pumping his bellows, coming from his hut. Looking through the keyhole, he saw the entire hut filled with the coiled up body of a nāga and cried out, “A shape shifter! A shape shifter!”

4.125Understanding well what such words meant, the nāga hastily transformed, cloaking his natural appearance and reverting to his conjured look. Monks gathered around and asked him, “What is the matter?”

“He’s a shape shifter,” the monk replied.

4.126They said, [F.97.a] “This venerable applies himself diligently, always making an effort in his recitations. Why do you begrudge him?”

“I do not begrudge him in the least. It is just that he’s a shape shifter.”

4.127While they were conferring, the Blessed One passed by and inquired, “What is the matter?”

“Blessed One, he’s a shape shifter.”

4.128The Blessed One replied, “A shape shifter will not take root in this Dharma and Vinaya; therefore, you must banish shape shifters from this Dharma and Vinaya. If someone wishing to go forth approaches any of you, ask him, ‘You are not a shape shifter, are you?’ If you allow going forth without asking this, a breach occurs.

4.129“Monks, a nāga’s nature is characterized by five things; the rest are emanations. What are these five? Nāgas are born a natural birth, they die a natural death, they sleep a natural sleep, they are nourished naturally, and they procreate naturally‍—these are the qualities they exhibit.”

The Blessed One said to the nāga, “My dear sir, with this body of yours you cannot attain any of a host of qualities, so leave and do no harm to the monks.”

4.130The nāga, not knowing where he might wind up, eventually came upon a forest of śāla trees, where he conjured up a monastery with a high gate, skylights, and latticed windows. It was adorned with balustrades, beguiling to the heart and beautiful to the eye, with a staircase to the upper level, and perfectly outfitted with beds, seats, and supplies. To arriving monks and departing monks, he provided all the supplies they needed.

4.131After passing the rainy season at the monastery, an old-timer left for Śrāvastī, [F.97.b] where, as was their wont, the group of six disciples thought, “Here, it is we who teach the Dharma to the brahmins and householders that come and assemble. It is we who trounce our adversaries and it is we who spread the fame of our order.”

4.132As the group of six did whatever their self-appointed duties called for, they would never leave the gate into Jetavana unattended. Upananda rose early one morning, cast aside his toothbrush, donned his orange ceremonial robe, and took up his post at the gate into Jetavana. When he saw, approaching off in the distance, an old-timer with a head as white as an āgati flower and drooping eyebrows, Upananda thought, “No doubt this is one of our elder monks.”

4.133Going out to greet him, he said, “Welcome, elder, welcome.”

“Homage to you, instructor,” replied the old-timer.

4.134Upananda thought, “My! Why, I don’t recognize this old-timer as one of our instructors, nor do I recognize him as one of our preceptors.”

4.135Upananda then asked him, “Old-timer, where have you come from?”

“From the śāla forest.”

4.136“Why? Is there a monastery there?”

“Yes, there is.”

4.137“What type is it?”

“Oh, it is but a poor one.”

4.138“What is it like? How is it poor? If it is fully outfitted, it is a monastery, but if it lacks all the trappings, it is poor.”

“It is a monastery.”

4.139“What’s there?”

“A monk caretaker lives there and provides arriving monks and departing monks with all the supplies they need.”

4.140As was their wont, when one among the group of six heard the slightest news they all gathered in the afternoon to discuss it. So Upananda went to the assembly hall and said to the group of six, “We venerables must put off our other business for a time.”

4.141“Have you heard some news?”

“Indeed I have. There is a monastery in the śāla forest.” [F.98.a]

4.142“What’s there?”

“A monk caretaker lives there and provides arriving monks and departing monks with all the supplies they need. Come, let us pay a visit.”

4.143The expelled nāga, who was now disguised as an elderly monk caretaker, saw the six approaching from off in the distance, and thought, “So those rogues have come here. How would they treat me if I were to provide them with all the supplies they need?”

4.144With that thought, he allocated, in order of seniority, canopied beds and terraced cottages and provided them with all the supplies they needed.

4.145A few days after they had settled in, they said, “Nanda and Upananda, this old-timer has no obvious source of income, nor any obvious record of allocations. We should make him account for what is here.”

4.146They said to him, “Old-timer, you have no obvious source of income, nor any obvious record of allocations. Come and account for them.”

4.147“Noble ones,” he replied, “are you merely displeased or utterly disappointed?”

“We are not just ‘merely displeased,’ for our fellow brahmacārin would denounce us if it were said, ‘The group of six passed the rainy season at that very monastery and yet they know nothing of its income and know nothing of its allocations.’ ”

4.148“Elders, I will comply. How long must I keep records? Twelve years?”

“Old-Timer, in twelve years even the doors of this temple will have collapsed.”

4.149“How about seven years?”

“That’s impracticable.”

4.150“How about seven months?”

“Still impracticable.”

4.151“How about seven days?”

The group declared, “Nanda and Upananda, record whatever supplies this old-timer receives over the next seven days. Old-timer, [F.98.b] we order you to comply.”

4.152The nāga, disguised as the old-timer, thought, “I shall make this monastery disappear once the seven-day period is up.”

To some of our poorer fellow brahmacārin, the nāga proceeded to offer mantles, to some upper robes, to some under robes, to some undershirts, to some begging bowls, and to some small plates.

4.153When the group of six saw this they said, “Nanda and Upananda, investigate this old-timer and after seven days, evict him along with his partisans.”

After seven days had passed, the old-timer made the monastery vanish as the group of six slept, and fled to the seashore.

The group of six, who awoke from their sleep on a piece of dry ground, said, “Nanda and Upananda, get up and fetch some chalk so we may check the accounts.”

4.154When they noticed they had been sleeping on a piece of dry ground, they realized, “We have opposed one who trusted in the Blessed One and served the Buddha, Dharma, and Saṅgha, causing him to flee and make his monastery disappear.”

4.155When the monks asked the Blessed One, “Who was this being? A god, a nāga, a yakṣa?” the Blessed One replied, “That monk caretaker was a shape shifter and yet this was so: if the group of six had not opposed him, he would have served the Buddha, Dharma, and Saṅgha for as long as the teachings remained.”

4.156The Blessed One reflected, “All those shortcomings ensue from the monks’ forcing him to account for the monastery’s income and allocations that had no obvious source or recipient.”

4.157The Blessed One then decreed, “A monk should not be forced to account for income and allocations with no obvious source and recipients. A monk should not be forced to account for those items for which the receipt is evident but its allocation is obscure. [F.99.a] A monk should not be forced to account for those items of which the allocation is evident but its receipt is obscure. A monk should mindfully and attentively monitor those items of which both the receipt and its allocation are evident.” [B9]

4.158After his encounter with the group of six, the shape-shifting nāga fled to the seashore, where he conjured up a second monastery with a high gate, skylights, and latticed windows. It too was adorned with balustrades, beguiling to the heart and beautiful to the eye, with a staircase to the upper level and perfectly outfitted with beds, seats, and supplies. Ocean nāgas, in the guise of brahmins and householders, gathered there and listened to the shape-shifting nāga teach the Dharma. After hearing the Dharma, they provided arriving monks and departing monks with all the supplies they needed.

4.159After passing the rainy season at the monastery, an old-timer left for Śrāvastī. As was their wont, the group of six thought, “Here, it is we who teach the Dharma to the brahmins and householders who come and assemble. It is we who trounce our adversaries and it is we who spread the fame of our order.”

4.160As the group of six did whatever their self-appointed duties called for, they would never leave the gate into Jetavana unattended. One day, Upananda rose early in the morning, cast aside his toothbrush, donned his orange mantle, and took up his post at the gate into Jetavana. When he saw, approaching off in the distance, an old-timer with a head as white as an āgati flower and drooping eyebrows, Upananda thought, “No doubt this is one of our elder monks.”

4.161Going out to greet him, he said, “Welcome, elder, welcome.”

“Homage to you, instructor.”

4.162Upananda thought, “My! I don’t recognize this old-timer as one of our instructors, nor do I recognize him as one of our preceptors.” [F.99.b]

4.163Upananda then said to him, “Old-timer, where have come from?”

“I’ve come from the seashore.”

4.164“Why? Is there a monastery there?”

“Yes, there is,” he replied.

4.165“What type is it?”

“Oh, it is but a poor one.”

4.166“What is the monastery like? How is it poor? If it is fully outfitted, it is a monastery, but if it lacks all the trappings, it is poor.”

“It is a monastery.”

4.167“What’s there?”

“A monk preacher lives there, where he teaches the Dharma to brahmins and householders. After hearing the Dharma, they provide arriving monks and departing monks with all the supplies they need.”

4.168As was their wont, when one among the group of six heard the slightest news they all gathered in the afternoon to discuss it. So Upananda went to the assembly hall and said to the group of six, “We venerables must put off our other business for a time.”

4.169“Have you heard some news?”

“Indeed I have,” Upananda replied. “There is a monastery on the seashore.”

4.170“What’s there?”

“A monk preacher lives there, where he teaches the Dharma to brahmins and householders. Upon hearing the Dharma from him, they provide arriving monks and departing monks with all the supplies they need. Come, let us pay a visit.”

4.171The debarred nāga, now disguised as a monk preacher, saw the six approaching from off in the distance, and thought, “Ah! Those rogues have arrived. What would they do if I refused to demurely acquiesce to them?”

4.172The ocean nāgas, in the guise of brahmins and householders, then gathered there and he taught them the Dharma. After hearing the Dharma, they provided the arriving monks and departing monks with all the supplies they needed, [F.100.a] at which point the group of six said, “Nanda and Upananda, what does this old-timer know?”

“The Ekottarikāgama .”

4.173“If these monks here are all versed in the Three Piṭakas, are teachers of Dharma in their own right, and possessed of intelligence and untrammeled confidence, why does he, who teaches the Dharma using this out-of-date Ekottarikāgama , not request teachings from them?”

4.174They said to the nāga, disguised as the monk preacher, “What do you know, old-timer?”

“The Ekottarikāgama .”

“You teach the Dharma using this out-of-date Ekottarikāgama while these monks here are all versed in the Three Piṭakas, are teachers of Dharma in their own right, and possessed of intelligence and untrammeled confidence. Why do you not request teachings from them?”

4.175“What? Nobles ones, do I stop them? Why do you not teach the Dharma?”

“Nanda and Upananda, this old-timer is at odds with us. We will act to evict him.”

Thinking, “If they move to evict me, I won’t find a place among the nāgas either,” then, while the group of six were sleeping, the nāga made the monastery vanish and slipped into the ocean.

4.176On waking on the sandy beach, the group of six said, “Nanda and Upananda, get up and erect a lion throne from which we shall teach the Dharma.”

When they noticed they had slept on a sandy beach, they said, “We opposed one who trusted in the Blessed One and served the Buddha, Dharma, and Saṅgha, causing him to flee and make his monastery disappear.”

4.177When the monks asked the Blessed One, “Who was this being? A god, a nāga, a yakṣa?” the Blessed One replied, “That monk preacher was a shape shifter and yet this was so: [F.100.b] If the group of six monks had not opposed him, he would have served the Buddha, Dharma, and Saṅgha for as long as the teachings remained.”

4.178The Blessed One thought, “All those shortcomings ensue from the monks’ teaching without being requested to do so.”

With that he said, “A monk should not teach without first having been asked to do so. If a monk teaches without first having been asked to do so, a breach occurs. If he is invited to do so, then no offense ensues.”

Saṅgharakṣita brings the Buddha’s teachings to the land of the nāgas

4.179Buddharakṣita, a wealthy householder with much riches and goods who lived in Śrāvastī, took a wife of equal caste and together they played with, took pleasure in, and amused one another.

Looking to guide them, the venerable Śāriputra went to their house and enjoined the householder and his wife to seek refuge and pledge to uphold the precepts. Some time afterwards, the householder’s wife conceived a child.

4.180Knowing this being was certain to become one of the fortunate, the venerable Śāriputra visited the family without any ascetic followers in his wake. Prostrating at his feet, the householder asked, “Does the noble one have no ascetic followers?”

“Householder,” he replied, “do you think my ascetic followers simply sprout up like weeds? It’s those who issue from people like you who become my ascetic followers.”

4.181“Noble one, my spouse has conceived a child. If she should give birth to a boy, I will offer him as an ascetic follower to the noble one.”

“Householder, I accept.”

4.182After eight or nine months had passed a boy was born, well proportioned, pleasing to the eye, [F.101.a] handsome, radiant, with a golden complexion, a head shaped well like a parasol, long arms, a broad forehead, eyebrows that meet, and a prominent nose.

Three weeks, or twenty-one days, after the birth, relatives came and gathered to celebrate his birth in grand style, during which time they discussed what name should be chosen for the boy. Some said, “Since the boy is Buddharakṣita’s son, the boy should be named Saṅgharakṣita,” and thus he was named Saṅgharakṣita.

4.183Fortified with milk, curd, butter, ghee, cream, and other nourishing foods, the boy Saṅgharakṣita grew quickly, shooting up like a lotus in a pond. On the very day Saṅgharakṣita was born, that same day sons were also born to five hundred merchants, each of whom was given a name appropriate to his patrilineage.

4.184In time the boy Saṅgharakṣita grew up and the venerable Śāriputra knew it was time to allow his going forth. So, looking to guide them, he went alone without any ascetic followers in his wake to the boy’s house. After prostrating at Śāriputra’s feet, the householder Buddharakṣita laid out a seat and invited the venerable Śāriputra to sit. As he sat, Śāriputra signaled to prompt the householder Buddharakṣita. The householder Buddharakṣita then said to Saṅgharakṣita, “Son, when you were in your mother’s womb, before you were even born, I offered you as an ascetic follower to the noble Śāriputra. Go and serve him.”

4.185As this was to be Saṅgharakṣita’s last life as a sentient being, a smile had already spread across his face and, without apprehension, neither crestfallen nor gloomy, he pledged to do as he was told. With that he became the venerable Śāriputra’s attendant apprentice and follower. [F.101.b] After the venerable Śāriputra had allowed his going forth and given him ordination, he taught Saṅgharakṣita how Dharma practitioners conduct themselves and made him recite the Four Āgamas.

4.186Some time later, after assembling merchandise to bring on their journey across the ocean, the five hundred sons of the five hundred merchants conferred and decided to bring, along with their goods, a noble monk across the ocean.

“Gentlemen, the ocean is full of many terrors. So those of us that journey across the ocean would do well to ask for the company of a noble one who might teach us the Dharma.”

4.187Beginning their search, they asked, “Who shall we ask to come?”

Some answered, “Gentlemen, we should ask our peer, the noble Saṅgharakṣita, for we grew up together playing in the dirt with him.”

4.188They went to him, prostrated at his feet, and said, “Noble Saṅgharakṣita, we grew up together playing in the dirt with you, our peer, so if we set out upon the ocean, an ocean full of many terrors, we would do well were the noble one to teach Dharma to those of us crossing the ocean. Therefore, noble one, we ask that you come with us across the ocean.”

“Gentlemen,” he replied, “as I am not at liberty to do as I please, you should put your request to my preceptor.”

4.189They went to the venerable Śāriputra, bowed their heads at his feet, and said, “Noble Śāriputra, please give us your attention. We grew up together playing in the dirt with our peer, the noble Saṅgharakṣita. So if we set out upon the ocean, [F.102.a] an ocean full of many terrors, we would do well were the noble one to teach Dharma to those of us crossing the ocean. For that reason, we ask that you send the noble Saṅgharakṣita with us across the ocean.”

“Ask the Blessed One himself and I will not object.”

4.190They went to the Blessed One, bowed their heads at his feet, and said, “Blessed One, please give us your attention. We grew up together playing in the dirt with our peer, the noble Saṅgharakṣita. So if we set out upon the ocean, an ocean full of many terrors, we would do well were the noble one to teach Dharma to those of us crossing the ocean. For that reason, we ask that you send the noble Saṅgharakṣita with us across the ocean.”

4.191The Blessed One considered whether or not these merchants had any meager roots of virtue and saw that they did. Considering who their awakening hinged on, he saw that it hinged on the monk Saṅgharakṣita. The Blessed One then said to the venerable Saṅgharakṣita, “Saṅgharakṣita, you shall go on this journey across the ocean and face your fears along with what provokes them.”

4.192With his silence, the venerable Saṅgharakṣita assented to the Blessed One. After performing rites for protection, good luck, and success, the five hundred merchants together with the venerable Saṅgharakṣita carried their goods to the ocean in carts, on poles, in baskets and hampers, and on camels, bullocks, [F.102.b] and donkeys. Setting out for the ocean, they passed in stages through villages, towns, countryside, kingdoms, and markets until they reached the ocean shore, where they paused to recover from the weariness of the road. For five hundred denarii they obtained a ship and hired five hundred crew members to serve as stewards, cleaning staff, divers, deck hands, and riggers. After calling out three times, they set out upon the ocean in pursuit of riches.

4.193Part of the way into their voyage, they and their seafaring ship were held up by nāgas. The merchants began to implore Śiva, Varuṇa, Kubera, Śakra, Brahmā, and other gods, “Whoever it is that dwells here, be they gods, nāgas, yakṣas, or gandharvas, may they tell us what they desire!”

From the ocean there came a voice, saying, “Give us the noble Saṅgharakṣita!”

“The noble Saṅgharakṣita is our peer. We grew up together playing in the dirt with him. The Blessed One and the venerable Śāriputra have entrusted him to us, so we would sooner die and face our death with him than turn him over.”

4.194The venerable Saṅgharakṣita said to them, “What are you talking about, gentlemen?”

“Noble one,” they replied, “a voice from the ocean has said, ‘Give us the noble Saṅgharakṣita!’ ”

“Why do you not give me over?”

4.195“Noble one, you are our peer. We grew up together playing in the dirt with you. The Blessed One and the venerable Śāriputra have entrusted you to us, so we would sooner die and face our death with you than turn you over.” [F.103.a]

The venerable Saṅgharakṣita thought, “This must be what the Blessed One meant when he said to me, ‘Saṅgharakṣita, you shall go on this journey across the ocean and face your fears along with what provokes them.’ ”

4.196Taking up his begging bowl and robe, he prepared to jump into the sea. Seeing him prepare to jump, the merchants shouted, “Noble Saṅgharakṣita! What are you doing? What are you doing?”

As they tried to stop him, Saṅgharakṣita jumped into the sea and at the very moment he did so, the nāgas released the ship. Taking the venerable Saṅgharakṣita, the nāgas returned to the land of the nāgas.

4.197Smiling at one another, the nāgas and their nāga women watched in amazement as they invited the venerable Saṅgharakṣita to pay homage to a set of shrines, saying, “Noble Saṅgharakṣita, this shall be the sanctuary of the perfectly awakened Buddha Vipaśyin, while these shall be the sanctuaries of the perfectly awakened Buddhas Śikhin, Viśvabhū, Krakucchanda, Kanakamuni, and Kāśyapa. This shall be the sanctuary of the Blessed One Śākyamuni.”

4.198After prostrating to the shrines with them, Saṅgharakṣita sat on the seat they had arranged at the center of the assembled nāgas. The nāgas joined their palms and supplicated him: “Noble Saṅgharakṣita, though the Blessed One’s sūtras and mātṛkā have taken root among gods and humans, we nāgas were born into this cursed state with fallen forms! O noble one, please see that the ultimate sūtras take root among us!”

Saṅgharakṣita assented with the words, “I shall do just that.”

4.199The shape shifter who had fled his seaside monastery for the land of the nāgas after being confronted by the group of six then chose three nāga youths and said to the first, “You shall memorize [F.103.b] the Saṃyuktāgama.”

To the second he said, “You shall memorize the Madhyamāgama.”

To the third he said, “You shall memorize the Dīrghāgama. The nāgas can learn how to recite the Ekottarikāgama by listening to me recite it.”

4.200When the young nāgas began to recite, the first closed his eyes as he sought to memorize the Saṃyuktāgama, the second turned his back as he sought to memorize the Madhyamāgama, while the third sat off in the distance as he sought to memorize the Dīrghāgama.

4.201Because the shape shifter had greater exposure to Buddhist customs than the others, he was respectful, deferential, and came first to all of their chores. He would rise early and say, “Noble ones, get up and brush your teeth. Pay homage to the gathering of blessed ones and their shrines. Eat and make the bed.”

4.202Once, as they were all reciting their respective Āgamas, the shape shifter said, “Noble one, if nāga youths recite the Āgamas, will they remember them or not?”

Saṅgharakṣita replied, “Even if with their good memories they remember them, they still have certain flaws.”

4.203“Noble one,” the shape shifter asked, “what are their failings?”

“They lack respect and deference. The first closes his eyes as he seeks to memorize the Saṃyuktāgama, the second turns his back as he seeks to memorize the Madhyamāgama, while the third sits off in the distance as he seeks to memorize the Dīrghāgama. You alone are respectful, deferential, and come first to all of your chores.”

4.204“Noble one,” the shape shifter replied, “it is not that they lack respect and deference. The one who closes his eyes as he seeks to memorize the Saṃyuktāgama has noxious eyes that burn; the one who turns his back as he seeks to memorize the Madhyamāgama has noxious breath; and the one who sits off in the distance as he seeks to memorize the Dīrghāgama [F.104.a] has a noxious touch. I myself have noxious fangs.”

4.205Frightened, the venerable Saṅgharakṣita thought, “Look! I am living among my mortal enemies,” and he grew pallid, emaciated, feeble, withered, thin, and weak.

The shape-shifting nāga asked, “Noble one, why have you become pallid, emaciated, feeble, withered, thin, and weak?”

“I am among enemies so the moment I do anything to upset you, I shall be reduced to naught but a memory.”

4.206“We do not intend to harm the noble one. However, given the situation, does the noble one wish to return to Jambudvīpa?”

“My dear sir, I do. I do not care for this place.”

The nāgas discussed the matter among themselves and when the noble Saṅgharakṣita’s ship passed by on its return journey, they raised him from the waters and placed him on board the ship.

4.207Smiles broke out upon the merchants’ faces as they stared in amazement and cried out, “Welcome back, noble Saṅgharakṣita, welcome back!”

Saṅgharakṣita said, “Gentlemen! Rejoice, for I have seen to it that the Four Āgamas have taken root in the land of nāgas!”

“Noble one, we do! We rejoice in this good you have done for others, for this is the job of those who go forth.”

4.208Reunited and happy, the merchants and the venerable Saṅgharakṣita completed the journey back to shore. On arriving, all were tired and weary. As his companions slept, the venerable Saṅgharakṣita turned his gaze to the ocean. [F.104.b]

4.209The Blessed One has said, “Monks, there are five things one never tires of looking at and which are in no way displeasing to the eye. What are the five? One never tires of looking at a clever and youthful elephant; a king of the world; the ocean with its monsters; Sumeru, the king of mountains; and a tathāgata, an arhat, a perfectly awakened buddha‍—these five things are in no way displeasing to the eye.”

4.210Saṅgharakṣita gazed long at the ocean until just before dawn when, fatigued, he was overcome by a deep sleep. Not long after, the merchants loaded the pack animals and set out. But because it was in the wee hours of the morning, they could not see the venerable Saṅgharakṣita and they began to look and ask one another, “Gentlemen, what has happened to the noble Saṅgharakṣita?”

4.211Some suggested he had gone ahead while others said he was still coming from behind and still others said he was traveling in the middle of the caravan. After searching everywhere to no avail, they gave up. Dispirited and downcast, they said, “Gentlemen, it is not good that we have left the noble Saṅgharakṣita behind. We must turn around.”

4.212But then, on reflection, it occurred to them, “The noble Saṅgharakṣita possesses miraculous powers and great might. If he did not meet his end in the ocean, how could he meet his end while traveling on dry land? With his miraculous powers and great might, he must have gone far ahead of us and be waiting there now.”

4.213With the call, “Gentlemen, come, let us go!” they set out.

Saṅgharakṣita sees the effects of actions with his own eyes

4.214When the sun rose, its rays struck the venerable Saṅgharakṣita as he lay asleep on the empty, sandy beach, waking him from his slumber. Seeing no one around, he thought, “What will I do if the merchants have left? They might have gone in any direction!”

4.215With great courage, the venerable Saṅgharakṣita set out but he could see no trail. [F.105.a] After searching about, he spied a narrow path and set off upon it. After a time, he saw, in a forest of śāla trees, a monastery with a high gate, skylights, and latticed windows. It was adorned with balustrades, beguiling to the heart and beautiful to the eye, with a staircase to the upper level and perfectly outfitted with beds, seats, and supplies. It was surrounded by a variety of trees, and graced with pools and ponds, ringing with the sounds of swans, cranes, peacocks, parrots, mynahs, and cuckoos. When he saw the monks, finely dressed and well trained, living peacefully in this glorious and heavenly abode, he respectfully approached them.

4.216With a show of respect, they said to him, “Welcome, reverend Saṅgharakṣita, welcome. From where have you come just now?”

After he explained everything that had happened, they let him rest and once he recovered from the fatigue of the road, they led him into the monastery. [S.43.a] Once there, he saw that fine seats had been arranged and choice foods laid out. They asked him, “Reverend Saṅgharakṣita, are you not thirsty? Are you not hungry?”

4.217“Venerables,” he replied, “I am thirsty and I am hungry.”

“Then partake, reverend Saṅgharakṣita.”

“I will eat with the saṅgha.”

“Reverend Saṅgharakṣita, you are tired from your travels, so eat now. Later the food will have spoiled.”

4.218Seeing the drawback in waiting, Saṅgharakṣita ate and then took a seat off to one side. Some time later, the meal was laid out and when the gaṇḍī beam was struck, the monks filed in, each carrying his own begging bowl, and sat down in order of seniority. As soon as they sat down, the monastery vanished [F.105.b] and each of their begging bowls turned into iron clubs of different sorts. For the remainder of the meal, they bludgeoned each other over the head with their iron clubs, cracking their skulls open and inflicting unbearable pain that caused them to cry out pitifully.

4.219As soon as the mealtime ended, the monastery reappeared as before while the monks also resumed their peaceful demeanors. The venerable Saṅgharakṣita approached them and asked, “Who are you, venerables? What karma has led you to this?”

“Reverend Saṅgharakṣita,” they replied, “the people of Jambudvīpa are skeptical, so you will not believe us.”

“Why would I not believe what I have seen with my own eyes?”

4.220“Reverend Saṅgharakṣita, we were disciples of the perfectly awakened Buddha Kāśyapa. While in the meal queue, we fought and, as the fruition of that karma, have been born as denizens of an ephemeral hell. As soon as we die and pass from this life, we will be reborn among the denizens of hell and will have to live there in such straits. Reverend Saṅgharakṣita, once you have returned to Jambudvīpa, say to your fellow brahmacārin, ‘Venerables, do not fight in the food queue like Kāśyapa’s monks. Do not act so as to accrue the fortune for that mass of suffering.’ It would be good if you were you to explain our plight at length.”

4.221After agreeing to do just that, Saṅgharakṣita departed. After some time, he saw again as before, in a forest of śāla trees, a second monastery with a high gate, skylights, and latticed windows. It was adorned with balustrades, beguiling to the heart and beautiful to the eye, with a staircase to the upper level, and perfectly outfitted [F.106.a] with beds, seats, and supplies. It was surrounded by a variety of trees, and graced with pools and ponds, ringing with the sounds of swans, cranes, peacocks, parrots, mynahs, and cuckoos. When he saw the monks, finely dressed and well trained, living peacefully in this glorious and heavenly abode, he respectfully approached them.

4.222With a show of respect, they said to him, “Welcome, reverend Saṅgharakṣita, welcome. From where have you come just now?”

After he explained everything that had happened, they let him rest and once he recovered from the fatigue of the road, they led him into the monastery. Once there, he saw that fine seats had been arranged and choice foods laid out. They asked him, “Reverend Saṅgharakṣita, are you not thirsty? Are you not hungry?”

4.223“Venerables, I am thirsty and I am hungry.”

“Then partake, reverend Saṅgharakṣita.”

“I will eat with the saṅgha.” [S.43.b]

“Reverend Saṅgharakṣita, you are fatigued from your travels, so eat now. Later the food will have spoiled.”

4.224Seeing the drawback in waiting, he ate and then took a seat off to one side. Some time later, the meal was laid out and when the gaṇḍī beam was struck, the monks filed in, each carrying his own begging bowl, and sat down in order of seniority. As soon as they sat down, the monastery vanished and the food and drink turned into molten iron. For the remainder of the meal, they doused one another in molten iron, scalding their bodies and inflicting unbearable pain that caused them to cry out pitifully.

4.225As soon as the mealtime ended, the monastery reappeared as before [F.106.b] while the monks also resumed their peaceful demeanors. The venerable Saṅgharakṣita approached them and asked, “Who are you, venerables? What karma has led you to this?”

“Reverend Saṅgharakṣita,” they replied, “the people of Jambudvīpa are skeptical, so you will not believe us.”

“Why would I not believe what I have seen with my own eyes?”

4.226“Reverend Saṅgharakṣita, we were disciples of the perfectly awakened Buddha Kāśyapa. Once the saṅgha had received a supply of rich food and when a group of arriving monks turned up, those of us overcome by greed thought and even said, ‘We should not serve the food until the arriving monks have left.’ For seven days, an unseasonable rain fell, spoiling the food and drink, leaving it unsuitable for consumption. Thus we wasted what had been given in faith and, as the fruition of that karma, have been born as denizens of an ephemeral hell. As soon as we die and pass from this life, we will be reborn among the denizens of a great hell and will have to live there in such straits. Reverend Saṅgharakṣita, once you have returned to Jambudvīpa, say to your fellow brahmacārin, ‘Venerables, do not waste what has been given in faith like Kāśyapa’s monks. Do not act so as to accrue the fortune for that mass of suffering.’ It would be well were you to explain our plight at length.”

4.227After agreeing to do just that, Saṅgharakṣita departed. After some time, he saw again as before, in a forest of śāla trees, a third monastery with a high gate, skylights, and latticed windows. It was adorned with balustrades, beguiling to the heart and beautiful to the eye, [F.107.a] with a staircase to the upper level and perfectly outfitted with beds, seats, and supplies. It was surrounded by a variety of trees, and graced with pools and ponds, ringing with the sounds of swans, cranes, peacocks, parrots, mynahs, and cuckoos. When he saw the monks, finely dressed and well trained, living peacefully in this glorious and heavenly abode, he respectfully approached them.

4.228With a show of respect, they said to him, “Welcome, reverend Saṅgharakṣita, welcome. From where have you just now come?”

After he explained everything that had happened, they let him rest and once he recovered from the fatigue of the road, they led him into the monastery. Once there, he saw that fine seats had been arranged and choice foods laid out. They asked him, “Reverend Saṅgharakṣita, are you not thirsty? Are you not hungry?”

4.229“Venerables, I am thirsty and I am hungry.”

“Then partake, reverend Saṅgharakṣita.”

“I will eat with the saṅgha.”

“Reverend Saṅgharakṣita, you are fatigued from your travels, so eat now. Later the food will have spoiled.”

4.230Seeing the drawback in waiting, he ate and then took a seat off to one side. Some time later, the meal was laid out and when the gaṇḍī beam was struck, the monks filed in, each carrying his own begging bowl, and sat down in order of seniority. As soon as they sat down, the monastery caught alight, burst into flames, and was engulfed in a fire that began to burn as a single, giant inferno. [S.44.a] For the remainder of the meal, the fire raged, burning their bodies and inflicting unbearable pain that caused them to cry out pitifully.

4.231As soon as the mealtime ended, the monastery reappeared as before while the monks [F.107.b] also resumed their peaceful demeanors. The venerable Saṅgharakṣita approached them and asked, “Who are you, venerables? What karma has led you to this?”

“Reverend Saṅgharakṣita,” they replied, “the people of Jambudvīpa are skeptical, so you will not believe us.”

“Why would I not believe what I have seen with my own eyes?”

4.232“Reverend Saṅgharakṣita, we were disciples of the perfectly awakened Buddha Kāśyapa. In time, our ethics became lax and we became dissolute. When the ethical monks evicted us from the monastery, we took up in an empty monastery. After a while, an ethical monk happened by, which gave us an idea. We thought, ‘He alone can purify patronage. We must get him to stay,’ and so he stayed. And in time, as a result of that, many ethical monks gathered there, who then proceeded to evict us. Those of us who could not bear this piled wood, straw, and dried dung and set fire to the monastery, burning many of the monks intent on training there. As the fruition of that karma, we have been born as denizens of an ephemeral hell. As soon as we die and pass from this life, we will be reborn among the denizens of hell and will have to live there in such straits. Reverend Saṅgharakṣita, once you have returned to Jambudvīpa, say to your fellow brahmacārin, ‘Venerables, do not nurse hatred for your fellow brahmacārin as Kāśyapa’s monks did. Do not act so as to accrue the fortune for that mass of suffering.’ It would be well were you to explain our plight at length.” [F.108.a]

4.233After agreeing to do just that, Saṅgharakṣita departed. On his journey, the venerable Saṅgharakṣita saw beings shaped like walls, pillars, trees, leaves, flowers, fruit, rope, brooms, bowls, mortars and pestles, pots, and even beings cut at the waist, their bodies held together by tendons.

Saṅgharakṣita’s sermon leads five hundred seers to the truth

4.234Eventually, the venerable Saṅgharakṣita reached a settlement with an ashram where there lived five hundred seers. The seers saw the venerable Saṅgharakṣita approaching from off in the distance and began to confer with one another: “Listen, gentlemen. These ascetic sons of the Śākya tend to preach a great deal. Let none of us offer a single word in response.”

4.235Having made this pact, they remained where they were. With a peaceful demeanor, Saṅgharakṣita approached them, but when he requested a place to stay, they gave not a word in response. A single seer, intent on merit, said, “Why do we not give you a place to stay? It is because you have a fault. You tend to preach a lot. You must therefore swear an oath: I will give you a place if you refrain from giving even the slightest sermon.”

4.236“Seer, as you instruct, I shall not preach,” replied Saṅgharakṣita.

The seer took Saṅgharakṣita to an unoccupied thatched hut in the settlement and told him he could sleep there. Saṅgharakṣita sprinkled water on, swept, and applied fresh cow dung to the dirt floor of the thatched hut. On seeing this, the seers said, “Gentlemen, these ascetic sons of the Śākya are sanitary.” [S.44.b]

4.237Saṅgharakṣita washed his feet outside the thatched hut before going back inside. Sitting down, he crossed his legs, held his body erect, [F.108.b] and rested in mindfulness. A goddess living in the ashram went to the venerable Saṅgharakṣita during the evening watch and said, “Noble Saṅgharakṣita, please teach the Dharma.”

4.238“Goddess, I wish you well but did you not see I received this resting place by making a pact? Would you like me to be kicked out?”

The goddess thought, “This renunciant is tired, so I shall return during the night watch.” She returned during the night watch and said, “Noble Saṅgharakṣita, please teach the Dharma.”

“Sister, you just can’t leave it be! You must want me to be kicked out!”

4.239She thought, “This renunciant is still groggy from sleep. I shall return during the final watch.” She returned during the final watch and said, “Noble Saṅgharakṣita, why do you sleep? I woke you in the middle of the night and asked you to teach the Dharma.”

“Sister, you are trying by every means to get me kicked out!”

4.240“Noble one, the darkness of night has passed. Even if you were kicked out, why would it matter? You’d be seeking to leave soon anyway. Did the Blessed One not say you must face your fears along with what provokes them?”

“Sister, what you say is true. I must get going regardless of whether I am kicked out. Since these people are brahmins, I should recite a verse the brahmins themselves take to be true.”

Saṅgharakṣita then began to recite the Brāhmaṇavarga:

4.242On hearing this verse, the seers thought, “This monk’s verses express the real meaning of ‘brahmin.’ ” One seer drew near, then a second and a third, until they all surrounded him, at which point the goddess charmed them so they could not see one another. After that Saṅgharakṣita began to recite the Nagaropama Sūtra:

4.243Thus did I hear at one time. The Blessed One was staying in Śrāvastī, in the Jetavana, Anāthapiṇḍada’s Park. The Blessed One said to the monks, “Monks, before I achieved perfect awakening and became a perfect buddha, I went alone into the wild. While inwardly absorbed, this perfect thought arose in my mind: ‘Ah! This world is prone to suffering, for we are born, we age, we die, we deteriorate, and then it all happens again. And though a higher state exists, beings who age and die know nothing of the perfect remedies that exist.’

4.244“I then pondered what was needed for birth to occur and what conditions contribute to the occurrence of birth. On proper reflection, I realized this perfectly and as it is: if there is becoming, there will be birth, and becoming contributes to the occurrence of birth.

4.245“I then pondered what was needed for becoming to occur and what conditions contribute to the occurrence of becoming. On proper reflection, I realized this perfectly and as it is: [S.45.a] if there is grasping, there will be becoming, and grasping contributes to the occurrence of becoming. [F.109.b]

4.246“I then pondered what was needed for grasping to occur and what conditions contribute to the occurrence of grasping. On proper reflection, I realized this perfectly and as it is: if there is craving, there will be grasping, and craving contributes to the occurrence of grasping.

4.247“I then pondered what was needed for craving to occur and what conditions contribute to the occurrence of craving. On proper reflection, I realized this perfectly and as it is: if there is sensation, there will be craving, and sensation contributes to the occurrence of craving.

4.248“I then pondered what was needed for sensation to occur and what conditions contribute to the occurrence of sensation. On proper reflection, I realized this perfectly and as it is: if there is contact, there will be sensation, and contact contributes to the occurrence of sensation.

4.249“I then pondered what was needed for contact to occur and what conditions contribute to the occurrence of contact. On proper reflection, I realized this perfectly and as it is: if there are seats for the six senses, there will be contact, and seats for the six senses contribute to the occurrence of contact.

4.250“I then pondered what was needed for the seats of the six senses to occur and what conditions contribute to the occurrence of the seats of the six senses. On proper reflection, I realized this perfectly and as it is: if there are name and form, there will be seats for the six senses, and name and form contribute to the occurrence of seats for the six senses.

4.251“I then pondered what was needed for name and form to occur and what conditions contribute to the occurrence of name and form. On proper reflection, I realized this perfectly and as it is: if there is consciousness, there will be name and form, and consciousness contributes to the occurrence of name and form.

4.252“I then pondered what was needed for consciousness to occur and [F.110.a] what conditions contribute to the occurrence of consciousness. By reversing the conception of ‘I,’ one will not incite what follows from that.

4.253“Thus consciousness contributes to name and form, name and form contribute to the seats of the six senses, the seats of the six senses contribute to contact, contact contributes to sensation, sensation contributes to craving, craving contributes to grasping, grasping contributes to becoming, becoming contributes to birth, birth contributes to aging and death, and the occurrence of sorrow, lamentation, suffering, unhappiness, and strife. And that is how, I thought, this whole huge mass of suffering comes to be.

4.254“I then pondered what must be absent for aging and death not to occur and what must cease for aging and death to cease. On proper reflection, I realized this perfectly and as it is: if there is no birth, no aging and death will occur, and the cessation of birth arrests aging and death.

4.255“I then pondered what must be absent for birth not to occur and what must cease for birth to cease. On proper reflection, I realized this perfectly and as it is: if there is no becoming, no birth will occur, and the cessation of becoming arrests birth.

4.256“I then pondered what must be absent for becoming not to occur and what must cease for becoming to cease. On proper reflection, I realized this perfectly and as it is: if there is no grasping, [S.45.b] no becoming will occur, and the cessation of grasping arrests becoming.

4.257“I then pondered what must be absent for grasping not to occur and what must cease for grasping to cease. On proper reflection, I realized this perfectly and as it is: if there is no craving, no grasping will occur, and the cessation of craving arrests grasping.

4.258“I then pondered what must be absent for craving not [F.110.b] to occur and what must cease for craving to cease. On proper reflection, I realized this perfectly and as it is: if there is no sensation, no craving will occur, and the cessation of sensation arrests craving.

4.259“I then pondered what must be absent for sensation not to occur and what must cease for sensation to cease. On proper reflection, I realized this perfectly and as it is: if there is no contact, no sensation will occur, and the cessation of contact arrests sensation.

4.260“I then pondered what must be absent for contact not to occur and what must cease for contact to cease. On proper reflection, I realized this perfectly and as it is: if there are no seats for the six senses, no contact will occur, and the cessation of the seats for the six senses arrests contact.

4.261“I then pondered what must be absent for the seats of the six senses not to occur and what must cease for the seats of the six senses to cease. On proper reflection, I realized this perfectly and as it is: if there are no name and form, no seats of the six senses will occur, and the cessation of name and form arrests the seats of the six senses.

4.262“I then pondered what must be absent for name and form not to occur and what must cease for name and form to cease. On proper reflection, I realized this perfectly and as it is: if there is no consciousness, no name and form will occur, and the cessation of consciousness arrests name and form.

4.263“I then pondered what must be absent for consciousness not to occur and what must cease for consciousness to cease. On proper reflection, I realized this perfectly and as it is: if there is no conditioning, no consciousness will occur, and the cessation of conditioning arrests consciousness.

4.264“I then pondered what must be absent for conditioning [F.111.a] not to occur and what must cease for conditioning to cease. On proper reflection, I realized this perfectly and as it is: if there is no ignorance, no conditioning will occur, and the cessation of ignorance arrests conditioning.

4.265“Thus the cessation of ignorance arrests conditioning, the cessation of conditioning arrests consciousness, the cessation of consciousness arrests name and form, the cessation of name and form arrests the seats of the six senses, the cessation of the seats of the six senses arrests contact, the cessation of contact arrests sensation, the cessation of sensation arrests craving, the cessation of craving arrests grasping, the cessation of grasping arrests becoming, the cessation of becoming arrests birth, the cessation of birth arrests aging and death, and sorrow, lamentation, suffering, unhappiness, and strife. And that is how, I thought, this whole huge mass of suffering comes to cease. [B10]

4.266“Monks, I thought of this as an old path I had found, an old [S.46.a] route, an old trail which seers of old have traveled and traversed. It is analogous to this: Say that a person wanders, passing through a great forest, and discovers an old path, an old route, an old trail which people of old have traveled and traversed and he follows it until he sees an old city and a king’s delightful old palace, with its resplendent gardens, resplendent parks, resplendent pools, and fine hedges. On seeing it, he thinks, “I shall go and speak to the king!” He goes to the king and says, “Your majesty, please grant me your attention. I was wandering, passing through a great forest, [F.111.b] when I discovered an old path, an old route, an old trail which people of old have traveled and traversed and I followed it until I saw an old city and the king’s delightful old palace, with its resplendent gardens, resplendent parks, resplendent pools, and fine hedges. Your Majesty, allow me to restore the city, allow me to restore the king’s palace.” In time, the king’s palace prospers and thrives, crops are bountiful and the land teems with animals and people.

4.267“Just so, monks, I too have found an old path, an old route, an old trail which seers of old have traveled and traversed. Monks, what is this old path, this old route, this old trail which seers of old have traveled and traversed? It is this, the Noble Ones’ Eightfold Path, which consists of right view, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right recollection, and right concentration.

4.268“Monks, this is the old path, the old route, the old trail which seers of old have traveled and traversed. I reached it and on reaching it, I saw aging and death, and I saw the origins of aging and death, the cessation of aging and death, and the path that leads to the cessation of aging and death. I saw birth, becoming, grasping, craving, sensation, contact, the seats of the six senses, name and form, consciousness, and conditioning. And I saw the origins of conditioning, the cessation of conditioning, and the path that leads to the cessation of conditioning. And so, having been perfectly awakened by my perception, [F.112.a] I proclaim it to an array of monks, nuns, laymen, laywomen, tīrthikas, ascetics, brahmins, sādhus, and wandering mendicants.

4.269“And when a monk perfectly accomplishes it, he too becomes an accomplished adept, sagacious, righteous, and an agent of virtue. And when a nun, a layman, or a laywoman perfectly accomplishes it, they too become accomplished adepts, sagacious, righteous, and agents of virtue.

4.270“Thus it is that such a one who lives purely is magnanimous, of benefit to a great many beings, prodigious, and teaches widely and perfectly among gods and humans.”

Saṅgharakṣita closed his sermon with the dedication:

4.272All present realized the truths and in that moment achieved the fruit of a non-returner and with it, miraculous abilities. In one voice they cried out, “Well said, reverend Saṅgharakṣita, well said!”

4.273The goddess then released them from the miraculous spell they were under so they came to see one another again. As they caught sight of one another, they exclaimed, “Oh! You too were here?”

4.274“You were here?” [S.46.b]

“I was here.”

“Good!”

4.275The seers had discovered a mighty state and having discovered it, proclaimed, “Reverend Saṅgharakṣita, if it is permitted, we would receive the going forth, ordination, and monkhood in the well-proclaimed Dharma and Vinaya. We would live the holy life in the Blessed One’s presence.”

4.276Smiling, Saṅgharakṣita said, “Venerables, your great and dauntless self-confidence [F.112.b] is noble. It is excellent! It is excellent! What is more, the Blessed One said, ‘Five advantages rightly come only to the wise with perfect vision who aspire to going forth.’ What are those five? (1) It is only the wise with perfect vision who aspire to going forth about whom it may rightly be said, ‘He will pursue his aim without diversion.’ (2) It is only the wise with perfect vision who aspire to going forth about whom it may rightly be said, ‘I make offerings to and praise those who are slave, agent, or emissary to no one, those who are independent and not in anyone’s service.’ (3) It is only the wise with perfect vision who aspire to going forth about whom it may rightly be said, ‘He will attain the unsurpassed accomplishment and bliss of nirvāṇa.’ (4) It is only the wise with perfect vision who aspire to going forth about whom it may rightly be said, ‘Even should he fail to attain the unsurpassed accomplishment and bliss of nirvāṇa, he will be reborn among gods.’ (5) It is only the wise with perfect vision who aspire to going forth about whom it may rightly be said, ‘Buddhas, the saintly disciples of buddhas who have reached perfection and entered perfection, and saintly beings praise renunciants in many ways.’ ”

4.277Saṅgharakṣita continued, “So, you shall go forth. But will you go forth before the Blessed One or before me?”

“Before the Blessed One,” the seers replied.

“In that case, come, let us go to the Blessed One.”

4.278“Reverend Saṅgharakṣita, shall we travel under our own miraculous powers or under your miraculous powers?”

4.279Hearing this pained the venerable Saṅgharakṣita, [F.113.a] who thought, “If they have attained such a store of qualities due to my influence, it looks as if I am but a raft to them.”

Dispirited, he replied, “Venerables, I have a small task to perform, so please wait here for a bit.” And with that, he sat down at the base of a tree, his legs crossed, his body erect, and rested in mindfulness.

4.280The Blessed One said, “There are five benefits to being well versed in the teachings. What are they? One becomes knowledgeable about the aggregates, knowledgeable about the constituents, knowledgeable about the seats of the senses, knowledgeable about interdependent arising, and one need not rely on others for instructions or further teachings on them.”

4.281Thus, by applying himself diligently, Saṅgharakṣita came to understand saṃsāra’s ever-revolving five cycles. It being by nature subject to degradation, decline, dispersal, and destruction, all of Saṅgharakṣita’s conditioning was overwhelmed and he abandoned all disturbing emotions. He perceived that he had, in that very life, actualized the unsurpassed aim of the holy life for which the sons of noble families, with perfect faith, cut their hair, shave their beards, don the saffron robes, and go forth from home into homelessness. With his achievement, he understood, “My births have come to an end, I have lived the holy life, I have done what needed doing, I will know no lives after this one.”

4.282Thus he became an arhat, free of desire for the three realms, for whom filth was equal to gold, for whom space was equal to the palm of his hand, whose emotions had been cooled as if treated by a balm of sandalwood, and whose knowledge had rent open the shell. He attained knowledge, clairvoyance, and discerning wisdom. He turned his back on worldly gain, desires, and esteem, and was venerated, honored, and saluted by Indra and the gods who attend him. [F.113.b]

4.283Saṅgharakṣita said to the seers, “Gentlemen, hold on to the corner of my robe and we shall travel under my miraculous powers.”

The seers grabbed hold of his robe, and the venerable Saṅgharakṣita, like a swan spreading its wings, flew with his miraculous powers up into the sky above.

Saṅgharakṣita leads an entourage of one thousand to the Buddha

4.284Along the way, the five hundred merchants were securing their wares when they saw Saṅgharakṣita and exclaimed, “Noble Saṅgharakṣita! Is that you? Welcome!”

“I have come.”

4.285“Where are you headed?”

“These five hundred sons of noble families want monkhood, to go forth and be ordained in the well-proclaimed Dharma and Vinaya, so we are going to the Blessed One.”

The merchants replied, “Noble Saṅgharakṣita, we too will go forth, so please alight and sit while we secure our wares.”

4.286Saṅgharakṣita descended and they secured their wares. Saṅgharakṣita then led the one thousand sons of noble families to the Blessed One, who was seated in the midst of hundreds of monks, teaching. From off in the distance, the Blessed One saw Saṅgharakṣita approaching with his gifts. Though he saw them, he asked the monks, “Monks, do you see Saṅgharakṣita coming from off in the distance?”

“We do, reverend.”

“Monks, this monk Saṅgharakṣita comes with gifts for the Tathāgata. There is no gift for the Tathāgata like these, the gift of disciples.”

4.287Saṅgharakṣita went to the Blessed One, bowed his head at his feet, and sat off to one side before [F.114.a] [S.47.a] requesting the Blessed One, “Reverend, these one thousand sons of noble families want monkhood, to go forth and be ordained in the well-proclaimed Dharma and Vinaya. May the Blessed One, out of compassion, allow their goings forth and allow their ordination.”

4.288The Blessed One allowed goings forth by saying the phrase, “Come, monk,” and so as soon as he said, “Come, monks. Live the holy life,” their hair fell out and they were clad in robes; with but a week’s growth of hair and beard, begging bowls and water jars in hand, settled, with the composure of monks who had been ordained for one hundred years. As was said,

4.290The Blessed One gave them instructions, to which they applied themselves with diligence, effort, and exertion, abandoning all disturbing emotions and actualizing arhatship. Thus they became arhats, free of desire for the three realms, for whom filth was equal to gold, for whom space was equal to the palm of his hand, whose emotions had been cooled as if treated by a balm of sandalwood, and whose knowledge had rent open the shell. They attained knowledge, clairvoyance, and discerning wisdom. They turned their backs on worldly gain, desires, and esteem, and were venerated, honored, and saluted by Indra and the gods who attend him.

The Blessed One explains the causes for the sights Saṅgharakṣita has seen

4.291The venerable Saṅgharakṣita asked the Blessed Buddha, “Reverend, I have seen beings shaped like walls, pillars, trees, [F.114.b] leaves, flowers, fruit, rope, brooms, bowls, mortars and pestles, and pots, as well as beings cut at the waist, their bodies held together by tendons. Reverend, what actions did they perform for it to ripen in such ways?”

4.292“Saṅgharakṣita,” replied the Blessed One, “those being themselves performed the actions‍—which have accrued a heap of karma, whose results have matured, which follow their course like an irrigation channel, which inevitably come to be‍—so who else will experience the actions they themselves have performed and accrued?

4.293“Saṅgharakṣita, actions which have been performed and accrued do not ripen upon the external elements. They do not ripen upon the element of water, upon the element of fire, nor upon the element of wind. Likewise, virtuous and nonvirtuous actions which have been performed and accrued come to fruition upon the aggregates, elements, and seats of the senses of the one who performed them, for:

4.295“Saṅgharakṣita, in a time now passed, during this fortunate eon, when the lifespan of beings was twenty thousand years, the Blessed Buddha Kāśyapa appeared in the world, a teacher, a tathāgata, an arhat, a perfectly awakened buddha, a knowledgeable and venerable one, a sugata, one who knew the world, an unsurpassed guide who tamed beings, a teacher to gods and men. Those beings you saw were his disciples when he lived and dwelt in the Ṛṣipatana Deer Park near Vārāṇasī.

4.296“Saṅgharakṣita, when those beings you saw who were shaped like walls were monks, they defaced a wall belonging to the saṅgha with their spit. [F.115.a] As the fruition of that act, they have come to resemble walls.

“When those beings you saw who were shaped like pillars were monks, they defaced a pillar belonging to the saṅgha with their mucus. As the fruition of that act, they have come to resemble pillars.

4.297“When those beings you saw who were shaped like trees, leaves, flowers, and fruit were monks, they used trees, leaves, flowers, and fruit belonging to the saṅgha for their own ends. As the fruition of that act, they have come to resemble trees, leaves, flowers, and fruit.

“When those beings you saw who were shaped like rope and brooms were monks, they used rope and brooms belonging to the saṅgha for their own ends. As the fruition of that act, they have come to resemble rope and brooms.

4.298“When those beings you saw who were shaped like bowls were monks, they were in charge of providing clean drinking water. When they were washing the bowls, some arriving monks arrived and asked the monks, ‘Do novices get whatever drinks are provided to the saṅgha?’

“Seized by stinginess towards the novices, they replied, ‘Do you not see we are washing the bowls? The drinks have already been drunk.’

“The novices thought, ‘It would seem we are too late,’ and left dispirited, with expressions of resignation. As the fruition of that act, those monks have come to resemble bowls.

4.299“When those beings you saw who were shaped like mortars and pestles were monks, they were in charge of begging bowls and they said to an arhat novice who had at the time been appointed keeper of the seals, ‘Novice, we have quite a bit of grain to grind in the mortar, [F.115.b] so give it here.’

“The arhat novice replied, ‘Elders, I’m busy at the moment. Please wait a bit. I shall give it to you later.’

4.300“Feeling impatient, the monks became enraged and said, ‘Novice, if we wanted to use the mortar, we could toss you into the mortar and grind you too! To say nothing of a bit of grain!’

“The arhat novice thought, ‘They are enraged. If I respond to them, it will only inflame their anger further,’ so he remained silent.

4.301“After a time their rage passed, and when it did he went to them and said, ‘Elders, do you know who I am?’

“They replied, ‘Yes, we know. You are but a novice who has gone forth for the perfectly awakened Buddha Kāśyapa. We, however, are monks.’

4.302“ ‘Elders, though that is so, since going forth, I have done all that needed to be done. What is that? I have abandoned all disturbing emotions and actualized arhatship. While you are bound by all bonds, I have been definitively freed from all bonds. As you have spoken harshly, you must confess your wrongs as wrong! Doing so will wither away the act, exhaust it, and finally put it to rest.’

“Although the monks confessed their wrongs as wrong, the actions came to fruition, causing them to resemble mortars and pestles.

4.303“Those beings you saw who were shaped like pots were formerly bondmen in the service of the saṅgha. Once as they were boiling medicinal herbs, [S.48.a] the monks spoke offensively to them, whereupon they broke the pots in anger. As the fruition of that act, they have come to resemble pots.

4.304“And when the beings [F.116.a] you saw who were cut at the waist, their bodies held together by tendons, were monks in charge of supplies, they were overcome by stinginess and switched supplies, swapping the summer supplies with those for the winter and switching the winter supplies with those for the summer. As the fruition of that act, they have become beings cut at the waist, their bodies held together by tendons.”

The Blessed One explains the reasons for Saṅgharakṣita’s good fortune

4.305In doubt, the monks asked he who severs all doubts, the Blessed Buddha, “Reverend, what is it that Saṅgharakṣita has done, that the ripened fruit of that action has led him to be born into a rich household with ample wealth and possessions, to actualize arhatship, and to inspire the conversion of so many?”

4.306“Monks,” replied The Blessed One, “Saṅgharakṣita himself performed the actions‍—which have accrued a heap of karma, whose results have matured, which follow their course like an irrigation channel, which inevitably come to be‍—so who else will experience the actions he himself has performed and accrued? Monks, actions which have been performed and accrued do not ripen upon the external elements. They do not ripen upon the element of water, upon the element of fire, nor upon the element of wind. Likewise, virtuous and nonvirtuous actions which have been performed and accrued come to fruition upon the aggregates, elements, and seats of the senses of the one who performed them, for:

“Monks, in a time now passed, during this fortunate eon, when the lifespan of beings was twenty thousand years, the Blessed Buddha Kāśyapa appeared in the world, a teacher, a tathāgata, an arhat, a perfectly awakened buddha, a knowledgeable and venerable one, a sugata, one who knew the world, an unsurpassed guide who tamed beings, a teacher to gods and men. [F.116.b] While the Blessed Buddha Kāśyapa lived and dwelt in the Ṛṣipatana Deer Park near Vārāṇasī, Saṅgharakṣita went forth into his teachings and served as a custodian, living together with five hundred others.

4.308“Most of the community of people who lived in that hilly fastness came to have great faith in him. Though he lived purely his entire life he never attained any of the store of qualities. Then one day he fell ill and though he was ministered to with medicinal roots, stalks, leaves, flowers, and fruits, the illness would not subside. In despair, as he was dying, he made this prayer: ‘Though I have spent my entire life living the holy life under Kāśyapa, the blessed tathāgata, perfectly awakened Buddha, and unsurpassed object of veneration, I have not attained any of the store of qualities. May these roots of virtue from having spent my entire life living the holy life ensure that I go forth into the teachings of Buddha Śākyamuni, regarding whom the blessed tathāgata and perfectly awakened Buddha Kāśyapa prophesied to the young brahmin Uttara, saying, ‘Young brahmin, in the future, when the lifespan of beings is one hundred years, you will become the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfectly awakened Buddha, the knowledgeable and venerable one, the sugata, the one who knows the world, the unsurpassed guide who tames beings, the teacher to gods and men known as the Blessed Buddha Śākyamuni, and go on to abandon all disturbing emotions and actualize arhatship.’

4.309“The monk caretaker’s wards then approached him and asked, ‘Preceptor, have you attained any of the store of qualities?’

“ ‘No, I have not,’ he replied. [S.48.b]

“They asked, ‘What prayers have you made?’

“He replied by explaining the prayer he had made.

“They said, [F.117.a] ‘May we too, by taking you, our preceptor, as our spiritual guide, go forth into the teachings of that very Blessed One and go on to abandon all disturbing emotions and actualize arhatship.’

4.310“Monks, the monk who served as monk caretaker in that life was none other than the monk Saṅgharakṣita. His five hundred wards are none other than these five hundred seers. The community of people who lived in that hilly fastness are none other than the five hundred merchants. Hence, now the ripened fruit of the venerable custodian’s action has led him to be born into a rich household with ample wealth and possessions. The prayers he made as he lay dying have led to his abandoning all disturbing emotions, actualizing arhatship, and inspiring such a massive conversion.

4.311“The ripened fruits of wholly negative actions are wholly negative, while the ripened fruits of wholly positive actions are wholly positive, and the ripened fruits of mixed actions are mixed. Monks, therefore abandon wholly negative and mixed actions and seek wholly positive actions. Monks, this is how you should train.”

The Blessed One explains the reasons for the shape-shifting nāga’s faith

4.312In doubt, the monks asked he who had severed all doubts, the Blessed Buddha, [F.117.b] “Reverend, how did the youthful, shape-shifting nāga first gain faith?”

4.313The Blessed One replied, “Monks, during this fortunate eon, when the lifespan of beings was twenty thousand years, the Blessed Buddha Kāśyapa appeared in the world, a teacher, a tathāgata, an arhat, a perfectly awakened buddha, a knowledgeable and venerable one, a sugata, one who knew the world, an unsurpassed guide who tamed beings, a teacher to gods and men. He lived and dwelt with a following of twenty thousand monks in the Ṛṣipatana Deer Park near Vārāṇasī. He taught the Dharma to his disciples, saying, ‘Monks, make your beds in forests and at the foot of trees; in uninhabited places, mountain basins, mountain caves, and huts of straw; in the open, in charnel grounds, in jungles, at the foot of mountains, and at the edges of forests, and there practice meditation. Monks, apply yourselves conscientiously and be sure you will have no regrets later. These are my instructions and my guidance.’

4.314“After the Blessed One said this to the monks, the monks went to make their bed in forests and at the foot of trees; in uninhabited places, mountain basins, mountain caves, and huts of straw; in the open, in charnel grounds, in jungles, at the foot of mountains, and at the edges of forests. Some practiced meditation on the slopes of Sumeru. Some practiced meditation on the seven golden mountains, some at Lake Anavatapta, some along gently lapping ponds, and some in villages, towns, regions, countryside, and kingdoms inhabited by like-minded yogis.

4.315“Meanwhile, a young nāga born not long before that [F.118.a] was carried off to the top shelf of Mount Sumeru by the garūḍa Suparṇi. In time, the young nāga saw monks of pacific bearing diligently practicing meditation, recitation, and yoga. Seeing them caused great faith to well up in his mind. With his mind filled with faith, it occurred to him, ‘These great and noble souls have been freed from sufferings such as mine.’ The young nāga placed great faith in them, and eventually his time came, after which he was born into a brahmin family dedicated to the six duties, and in time he grew up under their nurture and care.

4.316“He later went forth into the perfectly awakened and blessed Buddha Kāśyapa’s teachings and, through diligence, effort, and exertion, abandoned all disturbing emotions and actualized arhatship. Thus he became an arhat, free of desire for the three realms, [S.49.a] for whom filth was equal to gold, for whom space was equal to the palm of his hand, whose emotions had been cooled as if treated by a balm of sandalwood, and whose knowledge had rent open the shell. He attained knowledge, clairvoyance, and discerning wisdom. He turned his back on worldly gain, desires, and esteem, and was venerated, honored, and saluted by Indra and the gods who attend him.

4.317“On wondering, ‘Whence have I come? Where have I been born? What actions led to this?’ he saw that he had been a creature who had died and passed on, had been born among humans, and that he had given rise to great faith in great disciples.

4.318“He then thought of his mother and father from his previous life as a young nāga. On wondering, ‘Where are my parents?’ he saw that they were among the nāgas. On wondering, ‘What are they doing?’ he saw that they were crying, still living among the nāgas. Using his miraculous powers, he went there and asked, ‘Father, Mother, why are you sad?’ [F.118.b]

“They replied, ‘Noble one, our young nāga was snatched shortly after his birth by the garūḍa Suparṇi. We do not know where to look for him.’

4.319“He replied, ‘Father, Mother, I am he. After my time came and I died, I was born into a brahmin family dedicated to the six duties. I then went forth into the perfectly awakened and blessed Buddha Kāśyapa’s teachings and, through diligence, effort, and exertion, abandoned all disturbing emotions and actualized arhatship.’

4.320“ ‘Noble one, given the wretched form you had, we never imagined you in the higher realms, to say nothing of arhatship! This is indeed amazing and marvelous! Did you find or attain such a store of qualities? Noble one, you are an accepter of alms but we are seekers of merit, so every day you must come to this very place and take your meal before returning.’

4.321“After agreeing to that, every day he partook of ambrosia in the land of the nāgas before returning. Some monks asked his novice ward, ‘Novice, where does your preceptor eat and return from?’

“The novice ward replied, ‘I have not inquired.’

4.322“ ‘If your preceptor partakes of ambrosia in the land of the nāgas before returning here, why do you not go with him?’

“ ‘How could I accompany him when he uses his miraculous powers and great might to travel there?’

“ ‘When he travels with his miraculous powers, hold on to the corner of his robe.’

4.323“ ‘Will I not fall?’

“ ‘Dear sir, even if you were to hang Mount Sumeru from the corner of his robe, it would not fall. What need is there to speak of you?’

“With their encouragement, the novice ward went to where his preceptor used his miraculous powers to disappear, and waited. When his preceptor disappeared, the novice ward grabbed hold of the corner of his preceptor’s robe and together they rose into the sky above. After a time, [F.119.a] the nāgas caught sight of them and arranged two seats along with two plates of offerings for them.

4.324“The preceptor thought, ‘Why have they set out this second seat and plate of offerings?’ Looking behind him, he saw the novice and asked, ‘Son, you too have come?’

“ ‘Yes, preceptor, I have.’

“ ‘Good.’

4.325“The nāgas thought, ‘This noble one has miraculous powers and great might and so can digest divine ambrosia. But this noble novice cannot. We had better give him ordinary food.’

“To the preceptor, they gave divine ambrosia, but to the novice they gave ordinary food. Because the novice generally tended to the preceptor’s begging bowl, he picked up the preceptor’s begging bowl and on doing so, saw that a single grain of rice had stuck to it. The novice put it in his mouth and on tasting it, knew it to be divine ambrosia. He thought, ‘These nāgas are stingy. Two sit down together and to one they give divine ambrosia but to the other they give ordinary food.’

4.326“Unable to bear it, he made a misguided prayer, ‘May these roots of virtue from living the holy life under the guidance of the perfectly awakened and blessed Buddha Kāśyapa, an unsurpassed object of veneration, ensure that I be born right here after I have left this land of the nāgas.’

4.327“As prodigious and complete actions [S.49.b] are not contingent on a change of body, in that very life water began to drip from the novice’s hands, while the nāga host began to suffer a throbbing headache, prompting him to demand of the preceptor, ‘Noble one, this novice has given rise to an ignoble wish. Make him repudiate it!’

“The preceptor said to the novice, ‘Son, reject your ignoble wish to be among them.’

“Then the novice spoke this verse:

4.329“Thus, he lost his life in the land of the nāgas only to be reborn again in that very place. And that, monks, is how the youthful, shape-shifting nāga first gained faith.”

Tīrthikas

4.330The Blessed Buddha was staying in Śrāvastī, in the Jetavana, Anāthapiṇḍada’s Park, when a tīrthika arrived at Jetavana. When this tīrthika saw the fine seats arranged there and the array of communal food and drink, he thought, “As far as culinary pleasures are concerned, these ascetic sons of the Śākya have it good. But as far as the wealth of Dharma is concerned, ours is better. So I shall go forth and take my meals here while taking my Dharma among my fellow tīrthika.”

4.331With that thought, he approached a monk and said, “Noble one, I want to go forth”; his going forth was allowed, and he was granted ordination.

4.332As the tīrthikas’ restoration takes place on the fourteenth day of the month, while the monks’ restoration takes place on the fifteenth day of the month, he would participate in the tīrthikas’ restoration on the fourteenth day and the monks’ on the fifteenth.

4.333After some time, a day was skipped and the monks’ restoration fell on the fourteenth, which caused him some consternation: “Should I join them there or participate in the restoration here?”

4.334Then he had an idea: “These ascetic sons of the Śākya are more easy going, but my fellow brahmacārin are bad-tempered. If I don’t join them, they may even split my tally stick, switch out my seat plank, overturn my alms bowl, throw out my staff, and expel me from among my fellow brahmacārin.”

4.335And so he attended the tīrthikas’ restoration. Meanwhile, the disciplinarian stood at the end of the senior monks’ row. [F.120.a] When the monks were counted, the disciplinarian noticed that the monk, who was still committed to his tīrthika order, was missing so he asked, “Venerables, has the monk [monk’s name] come or sent his consent ?”

“No.”

4.336After looking around him into the four directions, the Blessed One declared, “Let us perform the restoration.” The monks then looked around them into the four directions and performed the restoration. Later that same day, the monk arrived and the monks asked him, “Venerable, where have you come from?”

“From the company of my fellow brahmacārin.”

“Who are your fellow brahmacārin?”

“The tīrthikas, for I enjoy my food with you and my Dharma with them.”

4.337The monks then asked the Blessed One about it, and the Blessed One decreed, “Monks, this person is a convert to a tīrthika order. A person who is a convert to a tīrthika order will not take root in this Dharma and Vinaya. Therefore, you must banish from this Dharma and Vinaya those persons who are converts to a tīrthika order. If someone wishing to go forth approaches any of you, you should ask, ‘You are not a convert to a tīrthika order, are you?’ If you allow going forth without asking this, a breach occurs.”

4.338The venerable Upāli asked the Blessed One, “Reverend, since the Blessed One has said, ‘You must banish from this Dharma and Vinaya those persons who are converts to a tīrthika order,’ then reverend, what is it that makes those persons who are converts to a tīrthika order fit for exclusion?”

4.339“Upāli, he who bears this banner while still being enamored with that view invites the dusk, [S.50.a] and for that alone you must banish from this Dharma and Vinaya those persons who are converts to a tīrthika order.”

Matricides

4.340The Blessed Buddha [F.120.b] was staying in Śrāvastī, in Jetavana, Anāthapiṇḍada’s Park, when a householder living in Śrāvastī took a wife of equal caste and together they played with, took pleasure in, and amused one another. The wife with whom he had played, taken pleasure, and amused himself then gave birth to a son, after which the householder said to her, “Noble woman, our debts are spinning out of control and cutting into our savings, so I will take some merchandise to sell in another land.”

She replied, “Son of a lord, do as you wish.”

4.341The householder departed with his merchandise for another land where, through indiscretion, he came to misfortune. And so his wife, with the help of relatives and by her own industry, fed and nurtured their son as he grew.

4.342In time, the lad went with a peer to a house, where a girl sitting on the house’s roof threw down a bouquet of flowers to catch his notice. His peer asked, “Friend, you haven’t arranged a rendezvous at this house, have you?”

“Indeed I have, and that is our signal,” the lad replied.

“Friend, this house is ill-omened, don’t go in. I warn you, through indiscretion you will come to suffering.”

4.343The lad’s friend then led him on a long detour that took the entire day, eventually leading him back to his mother, to whom the lad’s friend said, “Ma’am, your son here has arranged a rendezvous at a girl’s house. I have safeguarded him the whole day, but you must safeguard him through the night. That house is ill-omened. Do not let him go in. Beware, through indiscretion he will come to suffering.”

4.344She said, “Son, you have done well to inform me.”

She arranged a bed for her son in the house, along with two clay chamber pots, water, and fresh earth cover, and installed her son in the house, saying, “I myself will sleep on a cot by the door.”

4.345“Mother, open the door.”

“Why, son?”

“I must go out and urinate.”

“Son, I have placed a chamber pot there. Urinate in that.”

4.346He sat down for a bit and then said, “Mother, open the door.”

“Why, son?” [F.121.a]

“I must go out and defecate.”

“Son, I have placed a chamber pot, water, and fresh earth cover there. Defecate in that.”

4.347Again, he sat for a bit before saying, “Mother, open the door.”

“Son, do you think I don’t know where you want to go? I cannot open the door for you.”

“Mother, I shall kill you.”

“Son, I can face my own death, but I couldn’t bear watching my son die.”

4.348In the pursuit of passion, there is nothing he would not do. His mind merciless, and forsaking all thought of future lives, he unsheathed his knife and cut off his mother’s head at the neck, which tumbled to the floor. Having killed his mother, he left, trembling like a man who has committed a sin.

4.349The girl with whom he had a rendezvous said to him, “Son of a lord, there is no one, there is no other girl but me. Do not be afraid.”

4.350Thinking, “She will be pleased if I tell her what I’ve done,” he said, “Noble woman, I have killed my mother for your sake.”

“What? Your wet nurse or the woman who gave birth to you?”

“The woman who gave birth to me.”

4.351“He has killed his mother without regard for her importance to him,” thought the girl. “What chance would I stand if at some point he became angry with me?”

Then she said to the lad, “Son of a lord, please wait a moment while I climb up to the roof of the house.” [S.50.b]

“Go ahead,” he replied.

On reaching the roof, she cried out, “A thief! A thief!”

4.352The lad, scared and frightened, fled back to his own house and laid his knife at the doorstep before crying out, “That thief has been here! He has killed my mother and fled!”

4.353After performing rites of veneration over his mother’s corpse, the lad left home. But a person who has done wrong finds no serenity, so he sought out tīrthika communities and communities of ascetics and asked, “Gentlemen, what can one do to expunge an evil act?” [F.121.b]

4.354To that, some said, “Immolate yourself”; some said, “Take poison”; some said, “Jump off a cliff”; and some said, “Strangle yourself with a rope.” All of them recommended some form of suicide; none could offer any means of expiation.

4.355Later, he went to Jetavana, where he posed his question to a monk, who recited a verse:

4.356On hearing this verse, the lad thought, “Ah! Even wrongdoing can be checked! I shall go forth among these people.” He then approached the monk and said, “Noble one, I want to go forth.”

After his going forth was allowed and he was ordained, he applied himself diligently and began to recite the scriptures. In reciting and saying prayers, he recited and memorized the Three Piṭakas and gained the confidence born of knowledge and freedom.

4.357The monks asked him, “Venerable, what motivates such diligence in you?”

“I must expunge a wrongdoing,” he replied.

“What wrongdoing are you guilty of?”

“I killed my mother.”

“Your wet nurse or the woman who gave birth to you?”

“My birth mother.”

4.358The monks asked the Blessed One about it, and he said to the monks, “Monks, a person who has killed his mother is fit to be excluded from the community, for a person who has killed his mother will not take root in this Dharma and Vinaya. For that reason, monks, you should exclude from this Dharma and Vinaya those persons who have killed their mothers. If someone wishing to go forth approaches any of you, you should ask, ‘Are you a matricide?’ If you allow going forth without asking this, a breach occurs.”

4.359The monk who had killed his mother thought, [F.122.a] “Where will I wind up? I must go into the wilds.” And with that, he went into the wilds, where a householder became his follower. Out of deep devotion, the householder had a monastery erected for the monk, where monks from various regions and lands came to live, many of whom went on to actualize arhatship under his guidance.

4.360Sometime later, the monk matricide fell ill. Although the other monks ministered to him with medicinal roots, stalks, leaves, flowers, and fruits, he continued to get worse. The monk matricide then told his wards, “Venerables, prepare a dry sauna for the saṅgha and for me.”

His monk apprentices then prepared a dry sauna for him.

4.362So his time came and he died, and he was reborn among the denizens of Avīci, the Great Hell of Unrelenting Torment. One of his arhat wards entered into meditation to find out where his preceptor had been reborn and began searching for him among the gods, but he did not see him there. Nor did he see him when he looked among humans, animals, and spirits. When he began to search among the denizens of hell, he saw that his preceptor had been reborn among the denizens of Avīci, the Great Hell of Unrelenting Torment.

4.363The arhat ward wondered, “If my preceptor was ethical, learned, and attracted a following with the Dharma, what did he do that it should lead him to be reborn among the denizens of Avīci?” [S.51.a] He then saw that it was matricide.

Struck by the fiery light of Avīci, the monk matricide cried, “Oh! The heat in this dry sauna is too much!” As soon as he cried out, the guardians of hell lifted their maces and clubbed him on the head, shouting, “Hapless fool! Where is this dry sauna of yours? This is Avīci, the Great Hell of Unrelenting Torment!” [F.122.b]

4.364This virtuous thought brought the former monk matricide’s time in hell to an end, and he was reborn among the gods in the realms of the Four Great Kings. It is in the nature of gods and goddesses to have three thoughts shortly after birth: where they have passed on from, where they have been born, and what action has caused that rebirth. Thus the former monk matricide saw he had passed from among the denizens of hell and been reborn among the gods in the realms of the Four Great Kings due to his having washed the dry sauna for the saṅgha.

4.365Then the young god, who had formerly been a denizen of hell, had this thought: “It would not be right of me to spend a day here without going to see and pay my respects to the Blessed One. Thus, before the day is out, I shall go to see and pay my respects to the Blessed One.”

4.366The young god donned a pair of glittering hooped earrings that swung to and fro, adorned his body with two pearl necklaces, one long and one medium in length, filled the folds of his skirt with the dazzling colors of divine blue lotus flowers, lotuses, water lilies, and white lotuses, and when night had fallen, set out to see the Blessed One. On his arrival, he strewed the flowers before the Blessed One and bowed his head at the Blessed One’s feet before taking a place off to one side. The colors of the young god filled the whole of Jetavana with a great light.

4.367As the young god sat on a seat, the Blessed One intuited his thoughts, propensities, disposition, and nature and proceeded to teach the Dharma he needed to hear in order to fully realize each of the Noble Ones’ four truths, thus actualizing the fruit of a stream enterer by decimating with the lightning bolt of wisdom the mountain of belief in the transient aggregates with its twenty tall peaks. [F.123.a]

4.368Upon seeing the truth, the young god spoke this panegyric thrice: “Reverend, what the Blessed One has done for me, my father did not do for me, nor did my mother, nor did the king, nor did the gods, nor did my ancestors, nor did ascetics or brahmins, nor did my circle of loved ones and friends, nor did my forebears. For the Blessed One has dried up the ocean of blood and tears, freed me from mountains of bones, shut the door to miserable realms, opened the door to higher realms and liberation, dragged me up by the leg from among the denizens of hell, animals, and spirits, and installed me among gods and humans.”

4.369The young god spoke again:

4.373The young god then departed like a trader who has made a profit, a farmer who has reaped his crops, a warrior who has won a battle, or an ill person who has been delivered from all his ills, and, in the dress in which he arrived in the Blessed One’s presence, returned home.

4.374One of the young god’s former wards, an elder in the saṅgha and an arhat, [F.123.b] was seated in the meal row, while another of his wards [S.51.b] was distributing water to the saṅgha. After a time, the saṅgha elder lifted his cup of water. It felt extremely cold to the touch of the tip of his fingers, and he thought, “While we drink water as cold as this, the preceptor drinks molten copper among the denizens of Avīci, the Great Hell of Unrelenting Torment.”

4.375Yet when this arhat elder then searched for his preceptor among the denizens of Avīci, the Great Hell of Unrelenting Torment, his preceptor was nowhere to be seen. When the arhat elder searched for him among the animals, spirits, and denizens of other hells, he was nowhere to be seen there either. And so he began to search for him among the gods. There he saw that his preceptor had been reborn among the gods in the realm of the Four Great Kings and, having become a god, saw the truth in the Blessed One’s presence before returning to remain among the gods. Smiling, the arhat elder gained faith in the Blessed One and spoke this panegyric: “O Buddha! O Dharma! O Saṅgha! O the well-spoken Dharma by which even wrongdoers led into such fallen states can attain such a collection of qualities!”

4.376A student of the same preceptor saw him looking jubilant, pleased, and overjoyed and asked, “Venerable, are you so jubilant, pleased, and overjoyed by the thought that now that the preceptor’s time has come, you are the saṅgha elder?”

The arhat elder replied, “Venerable, now is not the time to answer your question. Ask me when we are among the saṅgha and that will prove the time to answer your question.”

4.377Later, after the monks of the saṅgha gathered and were seated, the saṅgha elder asked their preceptor’s student, “Venerable, what was it you wanted to ask me?”

“I asked you, ‘Venerable, are you so jubilant, pleased, [F.124.a] and overjoyed by the thought that now that the preceptor’s time has come, you are the saṅgha elder?’ ”

4.378While seated among the saṅgha, the arhat elder explained the situation at length to his fellow student. His fellow student then also rejoiced, as did the saṅgha, who spoke this panegyric: “O Buddha! O Dharma! O Saṅgha! O the well-spoken Dharma by which even wrongdoers led into fallen states can attain such a collection of qualities!” [B11]

Patricides

4.379The Blessed Buddha was staying in Śrāvastī, in the Jetavana, Anāthapiṇḍada’s Park, when a householder living in Śrāvastī took a wife of equal caste and together they played with, took pleasure in, and amused one another. The wife with whom he had played, taken pleasure, and amused himself later gave birth to a son.

4.380In time, the lad went with a peer to a house, where a girl sitting on the house’s roof threw down a bouquet of flowers to catch his attention. His peer asked, “Friend, you haven’t arranged a rendezvous at this house, have you?”

“Indeed I have, and that is our signal,” the lad replied.

4.381“Friend, this house is ill-omened, don’t go in. I warn you, through indiscretion you will come to suffering.”

The lad’s friend then led him on a long detour that took the entire day, eventually leading him back to his father, to whom the lad’s friend said, “Sir, your son here has arranged a rendezvous at a girl’s house. I have safeguarded him the whole day so you must safeguard him through the night. That house is ill-omened. Do not let him enter. Beware, through indiscretion he will come to suffering.”

4.382“Son, you have done well to inform me.”

He arranged a bed for his son in the house, along with two clay chamber pots, water, and fresh earth cover, and installed his son in the house, saying, “I myself will sleep on a cot by the door.”

4.383“Father, open the door.”

“Why, son?”

“I must go out to urinate.”

“Son, [F.124.b] I have placed a chamber pot there. Urinate in that.”

4.384He sat down for a bit and then said, “Father, open the door.”

“Why, son?”

“I must go out to defecate.”

“Son, I have placed a chamber pot, water, and fresh earth cover there. Defecate in that.”

4.385Again, he sat for a bit before saying, “Father, open the door.”

“Son, do you think I don’t know where you want to go? I cannot open the door for you.”

“Father, I shall kill you.”

“Son, I can face my own death, but I couldn’t bear watching my son die.”

4.386In the pursuit of passion, there is nothing he would not do. His mind merciless and forsaking all thought of future lives, he unsheathed his knife and cut off his father’s head at the neck, which tumbled to the floor. Having killed his father, he left, trembling like a man who has committed a sin.

4.387The girl with whom he had a rendezvous said to him, “Son of a lord, there is no one, there is no other girl but me. Do not be afraid.”

4.388Thinking, “She will be pleased if I tell her what I’ve done,” he said, “Noble woman, I have killed my father for your sake.”

4.389“What? Your foster father or the man who fathered you?”

“The man who fathered me.”

The girl thought, “He has killed his father without regard for his importance to him. What chance would I stand if at some point he became angry with me?”

4.390Then she said to the lad, “Son of a lord, please wait a moment while I climb up to the roof of the house.”

“Go ahead.”

On reaching the roof, she cried out, “A thief! A thief!”

4.391The lad, scared and frightened, fled back to his own house, and laid his knife at the doorstep before crying out, “The thief has been here! He has killed my father and fled!”

4.392After performing rites of veneration over his father’s corpse, the lad left home. But a person who has done wrong finds no serenity, so he sought out tīrthika communities and communities of ascetics and asked, “Gentlemen, [F.125.a] what can one do to expunge an evil act?”

4.393To that, some said, “Immolate yourself”; some said, “Take poison”; some said, “Jump off a cliff”; some said, “Drown yourself”; and some said, “Strangle yourself with a rope.” All of them recommended some form of suicide; none could offer any means of expiation.

Later, he went to Jetavana, where he posed his question to a monk, who recited a verse:

4.395On hearing this verse, the lad thought, “Ah! Even wrongdoing can be checked! I shall go forth among these people.” He then approached the monk and said, “Noble one, I want to go forth.”

4.396After his going forth was allowed and he was ordained, he applied himself diligently and began to learn the scriptures. In reciting and saying prayers, he recited and memorized the Three Piṭakas and gained the confidence born of knowledge and freedom.

4.397The monks asked him, “Venerable, what motivates such diligence in you?”

“I must expunge a wrongdoing,” he replied.

“What wrongdoing are you guilty of?”

“I killed my father.”

“Your foster father or the man who fathered you?”

“The man who fathered me.”

4.398The monks asked the Blessed One about it, and he said to the monks, “Monks, a person who has killed his father is fit to be excluded from the community. A person who has killed his father will not take root in this Dharma and Vinaya. For that reason, you should exclude from this Dharma and Vinaya those persons who have killed their fathers. If someone wishing to go forth approaches any of you, [F.125.b] you should ask, ‘Are you a patricide?’ If you allow going forth without asking this, a breach occurs.”

4.399The monk who had killed his father thought, “Where will I wind up? I must go into the wilds.” And with that, he went into the wilds, where a householder became his follower. Out of deep devotion, the householder had a monastery erected for the monk, where monks from various regions and lands came to live, many of whom went on to actualize arhatship under his guidance.

4.400Some time later, the monk patricide fell ill. Although the other monks ministered to him with medicinal roots, stalks, leaves, flowers and fruits, he continued to get worse. The monk patricide then told his wards, “Venerables, construct a dry sauna for the saṅgha and for me.”

His monk apprentices then built a dry sauna for him.

4.402So his time came and he died, and he was reborn among the denizens of Avīci, the Great Hell of Unrelenting Torment. One of his arhat wards entered into meditation to find out where his preceptor had been reborn and began searching for him among the gods, but he did not see him there. Nor did he see him when he looked among humans, animals, and spirits. When he began to search among the denizens of hell, he saw that his preceptor had been reborn among the denizens of Avīci, the Great Hell of Unrelenting Torment.

4.403The arhat ward wondered, “If my preceptor was ethical, learned, and attracted a following with the Dharma, what did he do that it should lead him to be reborn among the denizens of Avīci?” He then saw that it was patricide.

4.404Struck by the fiery light of Avīci, the former monk patricide exclaimed, “Oh! The heat in this dry sauna is too much!” As soon as he cried out, the guardians of hell lifted their maces and clubbed him in the head, shouting, “Hapless fool! Where is this dry sauna of yours? [F.126.a] This is Avīci, the Great Hell of Unrelenting Torment!”

4.405This virtuous thought brought the monk patricide’s time in hell to an end and he was reborn among the gods in the realms of the Four Great Kings. It is in the nature of gods and goddesses to have three thoughts shortly after birth: where they have passed on from, where they have been born, and what action has caused that rebirth. Thus the former monk patricide saw that he had passed from among the denizens of hell and been reborn among the gods in the realms of the Four Great Kings due to his having washed the dry sauna for the saṅgha.

4.406The young god then had this thought: “It would not be right of me to spend a day here without going to see and pay my respects to the Blessed One. Thus, before the day is out, I shall go to see and pay my respects to the Blessed One.”

4.407The young god donned a pair of glittering hooped earrings that swung to and fro, adorned his body with two pearl necklaces, one long and one medium in length, filled the folds of his skirt with the dazzling colors of divine blue lotus flowers, lotuses, water lilies, and white lotuses, and when night had fallen, set out for the Blessed One. On his arrival, he strewed the flowers before the Blessed One and bowed his head at the Blessed One’s feet before taking a place off to one side. The colors of the young god filled the whole of Jetavana with a great light.

4.408Then, as the young god sat on a seat, the Blessed One intuited his thoughts, propensities, disposition, and nature and proceeded to teach the Dharma he needed to hear in order to fully realize each of the Noble Ones’ four truths. The young god then actualized the fruit of a stream enterer by decimating with the lightning bolt of wisdom the mountain of belief in the transient aggregates with its twenty tall peaks. [F.126.b]

4.409Upon seeing the truth, the young god whose patricide had led him to rebirth in hell spoke this panegyric thrice: “Reverend, what the Blessed One has done for me, my father did not do for me, nor did my mother, nor did the king, nor did the gods, nor did my ancestors, nor did ascetics or brahmins, nor did my circle of loved ones and friends, nor did my forebears. For the Blessed One has dried up the ocean of blood and tears, freed me from mountains of bones, shut the door to miserable realms, opened the door to higher realms and liberation, dragged me up by the leg from among the denizens of hell, animals, and spirits, and installed me among gods and humans.”

4.410The young god spoke again:

4.414The young god then departed like a trader who has made a profit, a farmer who has reaped his crops, a warrior who has won a battle, or an ill person who has been delivered from all his ills, and, in the dress in which he arrived in the Blessed One’s presence, returned home. [F.127.a]

4.415One of the young god’s former apprentices, an elder in the saṅgha and an arhat, was seated in the meal row, while another of his apprentices was distributing water to the saṅgha. After a time, the saṅgha elder lifted his cup of water. It felt extremely cold to the touch of the tip of his fingers, and he thought, “While we drink water as cold as this, the preceptor drinks molten copper among the denizens of Avīci, the Great Hell of Unrelenting Torment.”

4.416Yet when this arhat elder, a former apprentice of the monk patricide, then searched for his preceptor among the denizens of Avīci, the Great Hell of Unrelenting Torment, he was nowhere to be seen. When the arhat elder searched for his preceptor among the animals, spirits, and denizens of other hells, he was nowhere to be seen there either. And so he began to search for him among the gods. There he saw his preceptor had been reborn among the gods in the realm of the Four Great Kings and, having become a god, saw the truth in the Blessed One’s presence before returning to remain among the gods. Smiling, the arhat elder gained faith in the Blessed One and spoke this panegyric: “O Buddha! O Dharma! O Saṅgha! O the well-spoken Dharma by which even wrongdoers led into such fallen states can attain such a collection of qualities!”

4.417A student of the same preceptor saw him looking jubilant, pleased, and overjoyed and asked, “Venerable, are you so jubilant, pleased, and overjoyed by the thought that now that the preceptor’s time has come, you are the saṅgha elder?”

4.418“Venerable, now is not the time to answer your question. Ask me when we are among the saṅgha and that will prove the time to answer your question.”

4.419Later, after the monks of the saṅgha gathered and were seated, the saṅgha elder asked the student of the same preceptor, “Venerable, what was it you wanted to ask me?”

4.420“I asked you, ‘Venerable, are you so jubilant, pleased, and overjoyed by the thought that now that the preceptor’s time has come, you are the saṅgha elder?’ ” [F.127.b]

4.421While seated among the saṅgha, the arhat elder explained the situation at length to his fellow student. His fellow student then also rejoiced, as did the saṅgha, who spoke this panegyric: “O Buddha! O Dharma! O Saṅgha! O the well-spoken Dharma by which even wrongdoers led into fallen states can attain such a collection of qualities!”