Part Seven

The Story of Paṅgu

7.2When the Blessed One was in Śrāvastī, there lived a certain householder who, when the time came for him to marry, took a wife. As they enjoyed themselves and coupled, one day his wife conceived. After nine or ten months had passed she gave birth to a child. The upper part of the child’s body was well proportioned, pleasing to the eye, and beautiful, but the limbs of his lower body were incomplete.

7.3No sooner had the child been born than the household began to succeed in all its endeavors. Its merchants traveling by land accomplished their aims, their merchants traveling by sea on great seafaring vessels accomplished their aims, and all of them safely returned. Their cattle and buffalo herds also thrived.

7.4Since everything they did was successful, the householder thought, “It’s all on account of our child that every one of our endeavors [F.306.b] is successful. This child of mine who was born without feeling in his limbs has glorious qualities.” At the elaborate feast celebrating his birth they asked, “What name should we give this child?” And they named him, saying, “Since this child is one who moves about by crawling, his name will also be Paṅgu.” They reared young Paṅgu on milk, yogurt, butter, ghee, and milk solids.

7.5The more he grew, the more the wealth of the household increased as well. Soon people began to say, “Because of him, whatever endeavors they undertake are successful. What glorious qualities this child has!” As soon as they heard this, the many inhabitants of Śrāvastī started to go see him from time to time. Afterward they undertook whatever aims they wished to accomplish in the name of the child, and they were successful. So it was that he became famous throughout Śrāvastī.

7.6When he grew up, his father made a jeweled palanquin for him to ride in. At home, they made him learn letters, tallying, and arithmetic; the study of seals, lending, deposits, and commerce; and the examination of cloth, jewels, gems, incense, medicine, elephants, horses, and arms and armor. He became skilled in writing, skilled at reading, learned, decisive, and industrious, a master of the eight types of examination.

7.7One day, as he was riding in the palanquin accompanied by a great throng, he entered the grounds of the garden. When he looked out from the palanquin, he saw a large crowd‍—group after group and elder after elder‍—convening in the garden of Prince Jeta. Seeing them, he asked in amazement, “Where is this great crowd headed?”

“We’re going to see the Blessed One,” they [F.307.a] replied.

7.8“What is this ‘Blessed One’?” the lame young man asked.

“At the foot of the Himalayas, not far from the hermitage of the sage Kapila, a child was born to the Śākyas,” they explained. “The brahmin sign tellers and augurs predicted, ‘If he remains here at home, he will become a universal monarch, but if he shaves his head and face and dons the colorful religious robes, and if with nothing short of perfect faith he goes forth from home to live as a mendicant, then he will be renowned throughout the world as a tathāgata, an arhat, a totally and completely awakened buddha.’ ”

7.9As soon as the young brahmin heard this, he was eager to meet the Blessed One. Accompanied by the great crowd he went to the garden of Prince Jeta, where the Blessed One sat teaching the Dharma amid a company of hundreds.

7.10Young Paṅgu saw the Blessed One from a distance. His body, graced and resplendent with the thirty-two signs of a great person, looked like it was on fire, like flames stoked with ghee, like a lamp set in a golden vessel, and like a pillar adorned with all manner of jewels. He was immaculate, clear-minded, and pure of heart. When he saw the Blessed Buddha the sight of him filled him with supreme joy, for beings who have gathered the roots of virtue to see a buddha for the first time experience such rapture as is not to be had even by those who practice calm abiding meditation for twelve years.

7.11After seeing him he descended from the palanquin in reverence toward the Buddha, crawled on four limbs before the Blessed One, touched his head to the Blessed One’s feet, and sat before him to listen to the Dharma. [F.307.b] The Blessed One directly apprehended his thoughts, habitual tendencies, temperament, capacity, and nature, and taught him the Dharma accordingly. When he heard it, Paṅgu destroyed with the thunderbolt of wisdom the twenty high peaks of the mountain of views concerning the transitory collection, and manifested the resultant state of stream entry right where he sat.

7.12Having seen the truths, he thought, “If my body weren’t like this, I too would go forth in the Dharma and Vinaya so well spoken, to ford the floodwaters and completely escape my fetters with diligence, practice, and effort.” No sooner had he thought this than the limbs of his body were made whole. As he rejoiced, he was especially filled with joy toward the Blessed One.

7.13In his joy he rose from his seat, drew down the right shoulder of his upper garment, and asked the Blessed One, “Lord, if permitted I wish to go forth in the Dharma and Vinaya so well spoken, complete my novitiate, and achieve full ordination. In the presence of the Blessed One, I too wish to practice the holy life.”

7.14With the words “Come, join me, monk! Practice the holy life,” the Blessed One led him to go forth as a novice, conferred on him full ordination, and instructed him. Casting away all afflictive emotions through diligence, practice, and effort, he manifested arhatship. As an arhat, free from the attachments of the three realms, his mind regarded gold no differently than filth, and the palms of his hands as like space itself. He became cool like wet sandalwood. His insight crushed ignorance like an eggshell. He achieved the insights, superknowledges, and discriminations. [F.308.a] He had no regard for worldly profit, passion, or acclaim. He became an object of offering, veneration, and respectful address by Indra, Upendra, and the other gods.

7.15“Lord,” the monks asked the Blessed Buddha, “what action did Paṅgu take that ripened into his birth into a family of great means, prosperity, and wealth? What action did he take that ripened into his becoming a paraplegic; that he pleased the Blessed One, and did not displease him; that as soon as he felt a sense of renunciation, his misfortune vanished and he became fortunate instead; and that he went forth in the doctrine of the Blessed One, cast away all afflictive emotions, and manifested arhatship?”

7.16“Monks,” the Blessed One recounted, “in times past, in this fortunate eon, when people lived as long as twenty thousand years and the tathāgata, the arhat, the totally and completely awakened buddha possessed of insight and perfect conduct, the sugata, the knower of the world, the tamer of persons, the charioteer, the unsurpassed one, the teacher of humans and gods, the blessed buddha known as Kāśyapa was in the world, there lived a certain lay vow holder in Vārāṇasī who was a very learned proponent of the Dharma with all the eloquence of wisdom and freedom. All the other lay vow holders held him in high esteem, and revered, honored, and venerated him.

7.17“The totally and completely awakened Buddha Kāśyapa had taken up residence in Vārāṇasī, and while he was there many lay vow holders came before him to listen to the Dharma. Whenever the totally and completely awakened Buddha Kāśyapa traveled from their region to another place, [F.308.b] the other lay vow holders would go to listen to the Dharma from that certain lay vow holder in Vārāṇasī. All the other lay vow holders would make a gift of five hundred gold coins to that lay vow holder. Those lay vow holders would also offer five hundred gold coins to the saṅgha.

7.18“One day that lay vow holder went to the monastery with the group of other lay vow holders. The entire saṅgha of monks was performing a monastic ritual, so the caretaker of the monastery sent all the lay vow holders away from the monastery and told them they weren’t allowed to listen.

7.19“The group of lay vow holders said, ‘The monks can send us away like that, but why should they send away a learned proponent of the Dharma with all the eloquence of wisdom and freedom, such as you? None among them is as erudite as you are.’

7.20“This angered the lay vow holder and he shouted at the monks, ‘You all perch on your thrones as if you were disabled! Everything I earn I give to you, and now you’ve disgraced me in public without so much as a word to me personally!’

7.21“The monks thought, ‘This emotionally afflicted person has become quite abased,’ and they said to the lay vow holder, ‘You must confess the mistake you’ve made by speaking harshly to us. Otherwise your actions are sure to bring an ugly result.’

7.22“The lay vow holder was flooded with regret. He said, ‘It was wrong for me to speak harshly to ones so worthy of offerings.’ He confessed his mistake, gave gifts and made merit, went for refuge, and maintained the fundamental precepts all his life.

7.23“At the time of his death, he prayed, ‘Oh, in this way may I not meet with the results of the wrongful act of speaking harshly [F.309.a] to such pure beings. Should the results of that action ripen to me, then as soon as I feel a sense of renunciation, may that misfortune vanish and may I be fortunate instead. May I serve the Buddha, Dharma, and Saṅgha, give gifts and make merit, go for refuge, and maintain the fundamental precepts all my life. By this root of virtue, wherever I am born, may it be into a family of great means, prosperity, and wealth. May my name be auspicious the world over. May all my intentions and all my wishes be successfully fulfilled.’

7.24“O monks, what do you think? The one who was that lay vow holder then is none other than Paṅgu. The act of speaking harshly to the monks ripened such that for five hundred lives he was a paraplegic. The acts of giving gifts and making merit, taking refuge, maintaining the fundamental precepts all his life, and praying at the time of his death ripened such that wherever he was born, it was into a family of great means, prosperity, and wealth; that his name became auspicious the world over; that he pleased me, and did not displease me; that as soon as he felt a sense of renunciation, his misfortune vanished and he became fortunate instead; and that he went forth in my very doctrine, cast away all afflictive emotions, and manifested arhatship.” [V74] [F.1.b] [B27]

Bhādra

7.25When the Blessed One was in Śrāvastī, deep in a certain forest there lived some five hundred sages who had settled down there to perform ritual fire pūjās.

7.26The blessed buddhas, teachers of the one path to be traversed, with mastery over wisdom and the two types of knowable objects, in command of the three kinds of sterling equanimity, fearless by means of the fourfold fearlessness, freed from migration through the five destinies, keen in the six sense bases, practiced in the seven limbs of enlightenment, focused on the eight liberations, absorbed in the nine successive meditative absorptions, possessing all ten of the ten powers, whose proclamations are the great roaring of a perfect lion, by nature regard the world with their buddha eyes six times throughout the day and night‍—three times by day and three times by night. [F.2.a]

7.27These are their thoughts as they look out in wisdom: “Who is in decline? Who will flourish? Who is destitute? Who is in a dreadful state? Who is being harmed? Who is destitute, in a dreadful state, and being harmed? Who is veering toward the lower realms? Who is descending through the lower realms? Who has descended to the lower realms? Whom shall I pull up from the lower realms, and establish in the resultant state of heaven and liberation? Whom, mired in misdeeds, shall I lift up by the hand? Whom, lacking the seven jewels of the noble ones, shall I lead to command of the seven jewels of the noble ones? Whom, not having produced roots of virtue, shall I lead to produce them? Whom, having already produced roots of virtue, shall I lead to ripen their roots of virtue? Whom, having already ripened their roots of virtue, shall I slice open with the blade of wisdom? For whom shall I cause this world, adorned with a buddha’s presence, to be fruitful?”

7.29The Blessed One thought, “The time has come to tame these five hundred sages,” whereupon the Blessed One performed a miracle that caused all five hundred sages to see evidence of the Buddha’s footprints all over the inside of the hearths they used for their ritual fire pūjās. Then they found they could not kindle their fires anymore, and they thought, “It’s by the might of these footprints that we can’t kindle a fire in these hearths. [F.2.b] It seems that these footprints must somehow be auspicious‍—are these the footprints of Mahā­deva ?”

7.30All five hundred sages offered those things intended for the sacrificial fire to the footprints of the Buddha, and by the power of the Buddha the offerings burst into flames that reached all the way up to Brahmāloka. The sages were amazed at the sight, and they thought, “ Mahā­deva thinks of us.”

7.31To guide them, the Blessed One then performed a miracle that caused the footprints to lead, one after another, into the garden of Prince Jeta. The sages saw the emanated footprints, one after another, leading away from their ritual fire pūjās, and thought, “ Mahā­deva went this way!” They followed one footprint after another, making offerings as they went, until eventually they entered the garden of Prince Jeta, where the Blessed One was teaching the Dharma amid a company of hundreds.

7.32The five hundred sages saw the Blessed Buddha from a distance. His body, graced and resplendent with the thirty-two signs of a great person, looked like it was on fire, like flames stoked with ghee, like a lamp set in a golden vessel, and like a pillar adorned with all manner of jewels. He was immaculate, clear-minded, and pure of heart. When they saw the Blessed Buddha the sight of him filled them with supreme joy, for beings who have gathered the roots of virtue to see a buddha for the first time experience such rapture as is not to be had even by those who practice calm abiding meditation for twelve years.

7.33After they saw him they approached the Blessed One, touched their heads to the Blessed One’s feet, and sat before him to listen to the Dharma. The Blessed One directly apprehended their thoughts, habitual tendencies, temperaments, capacities, [F.3.a] and natures, and taught them the Dharma accordingly. When they heard it they destroyed with the thunderbolt of wisdom the twenty high peaks of the mountain of views concerning the transitory collection, and manifested the resultant state of non-return right where they sat.

7.34After seeing the truths they rose from their seats, drew down the right shoulder of their upper garments, bowed toward the Blessed One with palms pressed together, and requested the Blessed One, “Lord, if permitted we wish to go forth in the Dharma and Vinaya so well spoken, complete our novitiates, and achieve full ordination. In the presence of the Blessed One, we too wish to practice the holy life.”

7.35With the words “Come, join me, monks!” the Blessed One led them to go forth as novices, conferred on them full ordination, and instructed them. Casting away all afflictive emotions through diligence, practice, and effort, they manifested arhatship. As arhats, free from the attachments of the three realms, their minds regarded gold no differently than filth, and the palms of their hands as like space itself. They became cool like wet sandalwood. Their insight crushed ignorance like an eggshell. They achieved the insights, superknowledges, and discriminations. They had no regard for worldly profit, passion, or acclaim. They became objects of offering, veneration, and respectful address by Indra, Upendra, and the other gods.

7.36“Lord,” the monks requested the Blessed Buddha, “tell us why, by showing the sages the footprints, the Blessed One led them to go forth and established them in the unsurpassed, supreme welfare of nirvāṇa.”

“Not only now,” the Blessed One explained, “but in times past as well, with footprints I led these five hundred sages to go forth, [F.3.b] whereupon they practiced pure conduct all their lives. Listen well!

7.37“Monks, in times past, in this fortunate eon, when people lived as long as twenty thousand years, and the totally and completely awakened buddha possessed of insight and perfect conduct, the sugata, the knower of the world, the tamer of persons, the charioteer, the unsurpassed one, the teacher of humans and gods, the blessed buddha known as Kāśyapa was in the world, the totally and completely awakened Buddha Kāśyapa put on a great display of miracles. Out of compassion for people in times to come, and so that he might lead the five hundred sages, he performed a miracle that caused them to take the appearance of the Buddha’s footprints as a sign.

7.38“At that time in the south, there were some five hundred sages living in a certain forest for practicing austerities. As they traveled through the heavens above the footprints of the Blessed Buddha to Gandhamādana Mountain, they were amazed to find themselves unable to go any farther, as if obstructed by Mount Sumeru itself. ‘Our miraculous powers have not waned,’ they thought. ‘How can it be we are obstructed in the sky?’

7.39“A god who was fond of them explained, ‘Though your miraculous powers have not waned, far below you are footprints of the Buddha. Beyond them even Śakra and Brahmā cannot pass.’ The sages took great delight in the footprints. In their joy they descended to the earth and began to venerate the footprints. To lead them, the totally and completely awakened Buddha Kāśyapa performed a miracle that caused the footprints to float up one by one to where the sages were hovering, and the sages thought, ‘These footprints belong to Mahā­deva . He went this way!’ Thinking this, the sages began following the footprints, and then all five hundred sages saw the totally and completely awakened Buddha Kāśyapa from a distance. [F.4.a]

7.40“At the sight of him, they experienced a surge of joy toward the tathāgata, the arhat, the totally and completely awakened Buddha Kāśyapa. In their joy they approached the totally and completely awakened Buddha Kāśyapa. Upon their arrival they touched their heads to the Blessed One’s feet, drew down the right shoulder of their upper garments, bowed toward him with palms pressed together, and requested, ‘Lord, if permitted we wish to go forth in the Dharma and Vinaya so well spoken, complete our novitiates, and achieve full ordination. In the presence of the Blessed One, we too wish to practice the holy life.’

7.41“After the totally and completely awakened Buddha Kāśyapa led them to go forth as novices, conferred on them full ordination, and instructed them, they practiced pure conduct all their lives. Though they did not achieve any great virtues, at the time of their deaths they prayed, ‘While we may not have attained any great virtues, still we have gone forth like this in the doctrine of the totally and completely awakened Buddha Kāśyapa and practiced pure conduct all our lives. Therefore, may we please and not displease Uttara, the young brahmin prophesied by the totally and completely awakened Buddha Kāśyapa to be the next blessed buddha. May we go forth in his doctrine, cast away all afflictive emotions, and manifest arhatship.’

7.42“O monks, what do you think? Those five hundred sages then are none other than these five hundred sages now. At that time they practiced pure conduct all their lives, and at the time of their deaths, they prayed, ‘May we please and not displease Uttara, the young brahmin prophesied by the totally and completely awakened Buddha Kāśyapa to be the next blessed buddha. [F.4.b] May we go forth in his doctrine, cast away all afflictive emotions, and manifest arhatship.’

7.43“So it is, monks, now that I myself have become the very equal of the totally and completely awakened Buddha Kāśyapa‍—equal in strength, equal in deeds, and equal in skillful means‍—that they have pleased me, not displeased me, gone forth in my very doctrine, cast away all afflictive emotions, and manifested arhatship.”

The Blind Man

7.44When the Blessed One was in Mahā­deva Mango Grove in Mithilā, there lived in Mithilā a certain householder named Variegated. He was prosperous and wealthy, a person of vast and magnificent means, endowed with the wealth of Vaiśravaṇa‍—with wealth to rival Vaiśravaṇa’s.

7.45When the time came for him to marry he took a wife, and they enjoyed themselves and coupled. As they enjoyed themselves and coupled, one day his wife conceived. After nine or ten months had passed, she gave birth to a child who was deformed and blind. When the householders saw their child, both parents were devastated. “It is a rare thing to give birth to a son, but one who turns out like this, deformed and blind, is of no use to us,” they said. “When night falls, we’ll toss him out to the dogs.” So his parents brought him outside, set him down on the main road, and left him for the dogs.

7.46The blessed buddhas, teachers of the one path to be traversed, with mastery over wisdom and the two types of knowable objects, in command of the three kinds of sterling equanimity, fearless by means of the fourfold fearlessness, freed from migration through the five destinies, keen in the six sense bases, practiced in the seven limbs of enlightenment, focused on the eight liberations, [F.5.a] absorbed in the nine successive meditative absorptions, possessing all ten of the ten powers, whose proclamations are the great roaring of a perfect lion, by nature regard the world with their buddha eyes six times throughout the day and night‍—three times by day and three times by night.

7.47These are their thoughts as they look out in wisdom: “Who is in decline? Who will flourish? Who is destitute? Who is in a dreadful state? Who is being harmed? Who is destitute, in a dreadful state, and being harmed? Who is veering toward the lower realms? Who is descending through the lower realms? Who has descended to the lower realms? Whom shall I pull up from the lower realms, and establish in the resultant state of heaven and liberation? Whom, mired in misdeeds, shall I lift up by the hand? Whom, lacking the seven jewels of the noble ones, shall I lead to command of the seven jewels of the noble ones? Whom, not having produced roots of virtue, shall I lead to produce them? Whom, having already produced roots of virtue, shall I lead to ripen their roots of virtue? Whom, having already ripened their roots of virtue, shall I slice open with the blade of wisdom? For whom shall I cause this world, adorned with a buddha’s presence, to be fruitful?”

7.49The Blessed One thought, “The time has come for me to make a revelation about this child. He will be instrumental in guiding a great many disciples.” With this in mind, the Blessed One performed a miracle that prevented the child from being eaten by dogs, come what may. Early in the morning the Blessed One donned his lower garment and Dharma robes, and, carrying his alms bowl, he set out for Mithilā surrounded and escorted by an assembly of monks, until he arrived not far from where the young man was. [F.5.b]

7.50Many of the inhabitants of Mithilā saw the Blessed Buddha and they were filled with wonder. Impelled by their previous roots of virtue they went to see the Blessed One, and when they arrived before him, the Blessed One thought, “The best thing would be for me to enter into a meditation such that this child remembers his former lives and can converse with me in words.”

7.51So the Blessed One entered into a meditation such that the child remembered his former lives and could converse with him. Then the Blessed One asked him, “Child, are you an ugly person?”

“O Blessed One, I am an ugly person.”

7.52“Child, are you an ugly person?”

“Sugata, I am an ugly person.”

7.53The Blessed One then asked, “Are you now undergoing the hideous repercussions of your misconduct of body, speech, and mind?”

“Blessed One, I am indeed undergoing the hideous repercussions of my misconduct of body, speech, and mind,” he replied.

7.54The Blessed One continued, “Who guided you to such nonvirtue?”

“My own mind,” he replied.

7.55Hearing this, immediately the people gathered there wondered, “Who is this being who remembers his former lives and converses with the Blessed One?” The ears of the blessed buddhas are difficult to reach, and they were not able to put their question to the Blessed One. So they inquired of Venerable Ānanda, “Lord Ānanda, who is this being who recalls his former lives and converses with the Blessed One?”

7.56“Put your question to the Blessed One,” Venerable Ānanda replied.

“The ears of the blessed buddhas are difficult to reach,” [F.6.a] they said, “and their presence is overwhelming. We cannot ask the Blessed Buddha ourselves.”

Ānanda said, “Though the ears of the blessed buddhas are difficult to reach for me as well, out of compassion for you I shall ask.”

7.57Venerable Ānanda drew down the right shoulder of his upper garment, bowed toward the Blessed One with palms pressed together, and inquired of the Blessed One, “Lord, who is this being who remembers his former lives and converses with the Blessed One?”

“Ānanda,” the Blessed One explained, “this being is one who committed nonvirtuous actions over and over again. The nonvirtuous actions he committed were manifold.

7.58“Ānanda, in times gone by, a certain king lived in Mithilā whose name was Virūpa . That king developed into a jealous person. When he was surrounded by his retinue of queens and wished to go somewhere‍—into the gardens or some other place‍—he cleared all the people off the road, even going so far as to cover their windows and doors with thick curtains. Should someone catch a glimpse of his retinue of queens, he would pluck out that person’s eyes. He rendered many beings blind in this way. One day, he entered the gardens attended by his retinue of queens.

7.59“In times when a blessed one has not arisen in the world, in compassion for the destitute and suffering the solitary buddhas appear, taking up residence in remote places. Solitary as the rhinoceros, in all the world they alone are worthy of offerings. So it was that a solitary buddha was coming down the road. Without attracting the attention of the king’s attendants he stood before the retinue of queens. When the women noticed the elegance of his body and the elegance of his mind, they were filled with joy. In their joy they opened their veils, [F.6.b] bowed down, and paid homage to him.

7.60“As soon as the king heard about this, he bristled with fury on account of his jealousy. In anger he ordered his royal attendants, “All of you, go pluck out that renunciant’s eyes!” As soon as his royal attendants heard this, they seized the solitary buddha and plucked out both his eyes. Faced as he was with this manifestation of his previous deeds, the solitary buddha did not think to so much as disguise himself, much less emanate.

7.61“Then the solitary buddha thought, ‘It’s not right for this emotionally afflicted person, who has become so abased, to circle in saṃsāra and meet with great suffering.’ Reflecting in this way, he thought, ‘I have to help him.’ He rose up into the sky, making a miraculous display of fire and light, rain and lightning.

7.62“Ordinary people are quickly brought to faith through miracles. When the king saw all this, he bowed down at the solitary buddha’s feet like a tree felled by a saw and said, ‘Oh great fortunate one, please, please come down! I’m mired in misdeeds! Please reach down and lift me up!’

7.63“Because he had sustained such injuries, however, the great being passed into parinirvāṇa. The king venerated his relics and prayed, ‘In this way may I not experience the results of the act of causing such a pure being to undergo such agony. By the root of virtue of having paid homage to him, wherever I am born, may it be into a family of great means, prosperity, and wealth. May I please and not displease a teacher even more exalted than this. Going forth in his doctrine alone may I cast away all afflictive emotions, and manifest arhatship.’

7.64“O monks, what do you think? The one who was King Virūpa then [F.7.a] is none other than this blind man. The act of plucking out the solitary buddha’s eyes and rendering hundreds upon hundreds of thousands of beings sightless ripened such that for hundreds upon hundreds of thousands of years he was always blind, and was roasted by hell beings.

7.65“After dying and transmigrating from there, he took rebirth as an anguished spirit for five hundred lifetimes. This also caused him to undergo great suffering, and he was always blind.

“After dying as an anguished spirit and transmigrating, he took rebirth as an animal for five hundred lifetimes, where he was also always blind.

“When he died as an animal, he transmigrated and took rebirth as a human being for five hundred lifetimes, and in every birth he was blind.”

7.66“Lord,” the monks inquired, “when will this being be liberated from his suffering?”

“Monks” the Blessed One replied, “in the future a totally and completely awakened buddha named Sumati , who will far surpass the listeners and the solitary buddhas, will emerge in the world. It is through his teaching that this being will obtain a human birth with all his faculties intact. Then he will go forth in Buddha Sumati ’s teaching, cast away all afflictive emotions, and manifest arhatship.

7.67“Even after he has achieved arhatship, one day while he is sleeping crows will appear due to his past actions and pluck out both his eyes. After sustaining such injuries he will pass into parinirvāṇa. It is then that he will be liberated from his past actions.”

As soon as they heard this, the people gathered there welled up with grief, and they thought, “By the force of the afflictive emotions, spiraling through saṃsāra we are sure to meet with sufferings such as these.”

7.68The Blessed One directly apprehended their grief, taught them the Dharma accordingly and among the assembled some generated heat. Some generated the peak, or generated the patience in accord with the truths, or generated the highest worldly dharma, [F.7.b] or generated the attainment of seeing right where they sat.

7.69Some manifested the resultant state of stream entry. Some manifested the resultant state of once-return. Some manifested the resultant state of non-return. Some went forth and manifested arhatship. Some sowed the seeds to become universal monarchs, some to become great universal monarchs, some to become Indra, some to become Brahmā, some for the enlightenment of the listeners, some for the enlightenment of the solitary buddhas, and some for unexcelled, total, and complete enlightenment. Among the assembled, most found themselves drawn to the Buddha, intent on the Dharma, and favoring the Saṅgha.

The Story of Nirgrantha Kāśyapa

7.70When the Blessed One was in Rājagṛha, a certain poor brahmin who made his living as a farmer lived out in the mountains. One day his wife conceived, and after nine or ten months had passed she gave birth to a child. At the elaborate feast celebrating his birth they asked, “What name should we give this child?” and they named him, saying, “This is a child of the Kāśyapa clan, so his name will likewise be Kāśyapa .”

7.71They reared young Kāśyapa on milk, yogurt, butter, ghee, and milk solids, and when he grew up he went with his parents to work in the fields. As he looked on he saw hundreds upon hundreds of thousands of living beings being killed. He asked his father, “Father, you are causing hundreds of thousands of living beings to suffer. Why must you make your living this way?”

7.72“Son, this is the only way for us to make our living. There is no other choice,” his father replied.

The youth thought, “I will give up making a living this way and go live in the forest.” With this thought, [F.8.a] he resolved to go forth.

7.73The Blessed One had achieved unexcelled wisdom and began to act for the benefit of those to be tamed. In time he came to Rājagṛha, and the Blessed One’s fame spread far and wide. The Blessed One let fall a rain of nectar to satisfy living beings.

7.74When young Kāśyapa heard that the ascetic Gautama was staying in Rājagṛha and had let fall a rain of nectar to satisfy living beings, he immediately told his parents, “Mother, Father, I am going to practice the holy life in the presence of the ascetic Gautama,” and departed. He went to Rājagṛha as he had said, and there saw the naked ascetic Nirgrantha Jñātiputra.

7.75He thought, “There he is‍—the ascetic Gautama!” and went forth in his presence. After he went forth and studied their system of telling signs, Nirgrantha Jñātiputra became the foremost of his teachers. From that point on he was no longer known as Kāśyapa , and he took the name Nirgrantha Kinsman of the Kāśyapas.

7.76One day he saw the indications that he was near the end of his life, and he thought, “In seven days I shall be no more.” A deity who delighted in the doctrine of the Blessed One told him, “Don’t despair, Nirgrantha Kinsman of the Kāśyapas. The Blessed One teaches the path of definite escape from death. And he’s staying right here in Rājagṛha. Offer him your respect and service. If you do, things will go well for you.”

7.77Nirgrantha Kinsman of the Kāśyapas left Rājagṛha as soon as he heard this and set out for Bamboo Grove. On the way he thought, “Monks are modest and shy. Since I am a naked ascetic, I would not dare go and meet them in person, [F.8.b] so I won’t go to Bamboo Grove quite yet. Instead, I’ll remain here at the halfway point. Staying here, just halfway, I shall offer the ascetic Gautama my respect and service.”

7.78The blessed buddhas, teachers of the one path to be traversed, with mastery over wisdom and the two types of knowable objects, in command of the three kinds of sterling equanimity, fearless by means of the fourfold fearlessness, freed from migration through the five destinies, keen in the six sense bases, practiced in the seven limbs of enlightenment, focused on the eight liberations, absorbed in the nine successive meditative absorptions, possessing all ten of the ten powers, whose proclamations are the great roaring of a perfect lion, by nature regard the world with their buddha eyes six times throughout the day and night‍—three times by day and three times by night.

7.79These are their thoughts as they look out in wisdom: “Who is in decline? Who will flourish? Who is destitute? Who is in a dreadful state? Who is being harmed? Who is destitute, in a dreadful state, and being harmed? Who is veering toward the lower realms? Who is descending through the lower realms? Who has descended to the lower realms? Whom shall I pull up from the lower realms, and establish in the resultant state of heaven and liberation? Whom, mired in misdeeds, shall I lift up by the hand? Whom, lacking the seven jewels of the noble ones, shall I lead to command of the seven jewels of the noble ones? Whom, not having produced roots of virtue, shall I lead to produce them? Whom, having already produced roots of virtue, shall I lead to ripen their roots of virtue? Whom, having already ripened their roots of virtue, shall I slice open with the blade of wisdom? For whom shall I cause this world, adorned with a buddha’s presence, to be fruitful?”

7.81When the Blessed One focused his mind, he realized that the time had come to tame Nirgrantha Kinsman of the Kāśyapas, so he left Bamboo Grove and went to see Nirgrantha Kinsman of the Kāśyapas. When Nirgrantha Kinsman of the Kāśyapas saw the Blessed Buddha from a distance he approached the Blessed One, and when he arrived he made all manner of entertaining and jovial conversation with him and then took a seat at one side.

7.82Nirgrantha Kinsman of the Kāśyapas requested the Blessed One, “Gautama, should there be an opportunity for you to answer questions, I would like to ask you about a few matters.”

The Blessed One replied, “ Kāśyapa , I have to go to Rājagṛha for a while for alms. This is not the time for me to answer your questions. Wait outside the grove and an opportunity will come for me to answer your questions.”

7.83“Gautama,” he replied, “if it’s possible for me to change my mind, then perhaps it’s possible that Gautama may change his mind as well.” So Nirgrantha Kinsman of the Kāśyapas beseeched him a second and third time, “Should there be an opportunity for you to answer questions, I would like to ask you about a few matters.”

7.84And the second and third time, the Blessed One told Nirgrantha Kinsman of the Kāśyapas, “ Kāśyapa , I have to go to Rājagṛha for a while for alms. This is not a good time for me to answer your questions, but wait outside of the grove a bit and the opportunity for me to answer your questions will come.”

7.85“Gautama,” he persisted, [F.9.b] “should there be an opportunity for you to answer questions, I would like to ask you about a few matters.”

“ Kāśyapa ,” the Blessed One replied, “a second and a third time you have insisted on discussing this. Inquire about whatever you wish, Kāśyapa .”

7.86“Tell me, Gautama, is suffering created by itself?” he asked.

“ Kāśyapa , I have not proclaimed that suffering is created by itself,” the Blessed One replied.

7.87“Tell me, Gautama, is suffering created by another?”

“ Kāśyapa , I have not proclaimed that suffering is created by another.”

7.88“Tell me, Gautama, is suffering created both by itself and by another?”

“ Kāśyapa , I have not proclaimed that suffering is created both by itself and by another.”

7.89“What then, Gautama? If suffering is not created by itself, nor created by another, does it then not arise from a cause?”

“ Kāśyapa , this too I have not proclaimed.”

7.90“What then, Gautama? Aren’t you proclaiming that suffering is neither created by itself, nor created by another, nor arisen from a cause?”

“ Kāśyapa , if you are asking whether suffering is created by itself, created by another, or whether or not it arises from a cause, my answer is that I did not proclaim this.”

7.91“What then, Gautama? Is there no such thing as suffering?”

“ Kāśyapa , it’s not that there is no suffering. It merely is.”

7.92“Tell me, Gautama‍—if in fact suffering is self-created, can the Blessed One please teach me the Dharma by which I can come to know and see suffering?”

“ Kāśyapa , if sensation were self-existent, and experience were also self-existent, then suffering would be created by itself. But this is not what I proclaim, Kāśyapa .

7.93“ Kāśyapa , [F.10.a] if sensation were other than itself, and experience also other than itself, then suffering would be created by another. But this is not what I proclaim, Kāśyapa .

“ Kāśyapa , if sensation were self-existent, and experience also self-existent, and if at the same time sensation were other than itself, and experience likewise other than itself, then suffering would be created by itself and by another. But this is not what I proclaim, Kāśyapa .

7.94“ Kāśyapa , if there were no conditions for suffering, then suffering could not be created by itself, nor by another, nor would it arise from a cause. But this is not what I proclaim, Kāśyapa .

“The Tathāgata does not rely on the two extremes, but shows the Dharma of the middle way. If this is, that will occur. This having arisen, that will arise.

7.95“In this way, due to the condition of ignorance, there are formations. Due to the condition of formations, there is consciousness. Due to the condition of consciousness, there are name and form. Due to the conditions of name and form, there are the six sense bases. Due to the condition of the six sense bases, there is contact . Due to the condition of contact , there is sensation. Due to the condition of sensation, there is craving . Due to the condition of craving , there is appropriation. Due the condition of appropriation, there is becoming . Due to the condition of becoming , there is birth . Due to the condition of birth , there is old age, death, sorrow, lamentation, suffering, unhappiness, and strife. Thus does this entire great heap of suffering arise.

7.96“So it is that without this, that will not occur. If this ceases, that will cease. In this way, due to the cessation of ignorance, formations cease. Due to the cessation of formations, consciousness will cease. Due to the cessation of consciousness, name and form will cease. Due to the cessation of name and form, the six sense bases will cease. Due to the cessation of the six sense bases, [F.10.b] contact will cease. Due to the cessation of contact , sensation will cease. Due to the cessation of sensation, craving will cease. Due to the cessation of craving , appropriation will cease. Due to the cessation of appropriation, becoming will cease. Due to the cessation of becoming , birth will cease. Due to the cessation of birth , old age, death, sorrow, lamentation, suffering, unhappiness, and strife will cease. Thus does this entire great heap of suffering cease.”

7.97When he had explained this Dharma teaching, Nirgrantha Kinsman of the Kāśyapas was able to see these things unobscured, with the Dharma vision that has no trace of dust or stain with respect to phenomena. Nirgrantha Kinsman of the Kāśyapas perceived the truths, discovered the truths, realized the truths, and fathomed the truths to their very depths, until whatever doubts or hesitation he had he overcame.

7.98Then, of his own accord, completely unprompted, and fearless on account of the truths his teacher had shown him, he rose from his seat, drew down the right shoulder of his upper garment, bowed toward the Blessed One with palms pressed together, and declared to the Blessed One, “Lord, I have truly become a noble one. I have truly gone forth. Lord, I take refuge in the Blessed One, I take refuge in the Dharma, I take refuge in the Saṅgha. Please accept me as a lay vow holder, for I have truly come to faith. From this day forth I take refuge with all my heart.” Nirgrantha Kinsman of the Kāśyapas rejoiced, praised all that the Blessed One had said, touched his head to the Blessed One’s feet, and took leave of him.

7.99Not long after Nirgrantha Kinsman of the Kāśyapas had taken leave of the Blessed One, a milk cow kicked him and killed him. At the time of his death his senses [F.11.a] were clear, his appearance pure, and his complexion alabaster.

7.100A group of monks donned their lower garments and Dharma robes, and, carrying their alms bowls, they set out toward Rājagṛha for alms. Along the way they heard that at the halfway point of the path Nirgrantha Kinsman of the Kāśyapas had asked questions of the Blessed One, that not long after he had taken leave of the Blessed One a milk cow kicked him and killed him, and that at the time of his death his senses were clear, his appearance pure, and his complexion alabaster.

7.101After they heard this the monks took alms in Rājagṛha and ate their meal. Later, after they had finished taking alms, they put away their alms bowls and Dharma robes, washed their feet, and went to see the Blessed One. Upon their arrival they touched their heads to the Blessed One’s feet and took a seat at one side.

7.102Once they had taken a seat at one side, the group of monks said to the Blessed One, “Lord, we monks donned our lower garments and Dharma robes, and carrying our alms bowls set out toward Rājagṛha for alms. Along the way we monks who were making our way to Rājagṛha for alms heard, Lord, that at the halfway point Nirgrantha Kinsman of the Kāśyapas had asked questions of the Blessed One, that not long after he had taken leave of the Blessed One a milk cow kicked him and killed him, and that at the time of his death his senses were clear, his appearance pure, and his complexion alabaster. Lord, what then was his destination? Into what state did he take birth? In what state did he die?”

7.103“Monks,” the Blessed One explained, “that noble child is a treasure. The Dharma he realized proceeded from my own. [F.11.b] He did not harm me. Monks, that noble child, having performed a singular good for the Dharma, attained nirvāṇa. Therefore, you should perform a reliquary pūjā.” The Blessed One proclaimed Nirgrantha Kinsman of the Kāśyapas’ excellence, and in Rājagṛha the gods declared that Nirgrantha Kinsman of the Kāśyapas had passed into parinirvāṇa.

7.104As soon as the extremists heard this they hoisted banners made of cotton, announcing on the highways, in the streets, at crossroads, and at forks in the road, “The ascetic Gautama claims that only his monastic discipline is comprehensive, that all others are not. Yet by practicing our code of conduct this man has passed into parinirvāṇa!” After they said this, they went to venerate his relics.

7.105The monks also went with the intention of venerating his relics, but the extremist mendicants told them, “He was a fellow practitioner of our code of conduct. Therefore, it is we who should perform the reliquary pūjā.”

“He was a fellow practitioner of our code of conduct,” the monks replied. “Therefore, it is we who should perform his reliquary pūjā.”

7.106“We have as our witnesses the gods who declared it in Rājagṛha,” said the extremist mendicants.

“Let us ask the gods whose code of conduct he practiced,” proposed the monks.

The extremist mendicants immediately began to supplicate the gods, petitioning them, “Devas, may you tell us whose code of conduct he practiced, and whose he did not.”

7.107The gods accomplished in the Dharma replied, “He [F.12.a] practiced the monks’ code of conduct. Through the Blessed One he realized the Dharma. Thus, in the intermediate state between death and rebirth he passed into parinirvāṇa.”

7.108The extremist mendicants left the area in embarrassment as soon as they heard this. After the monks performed Nirgrantha Kinsman of the Kāśyapas’ reliquary pūjā, they went to Bamboo Grove and inquired of the Blessed One, “Lord, what action did Nirgrantha Kinsman of the Kāśyapas take that ripened into his being kicked by a milk cow and killed?”

“Monks,” the Blessed One explained, “such are the actions that he committed and accumulated:…”

7.109At this point his backstory should be told in detail according to the tale of Puṣkarasārin, up to the killing of the four sisters at the hands of their four brothers.

7.110“What action did Nirgrantha Kinsman of the Kāśyapas take that ripened such that he pleased the Blessed One, and did not displease him?” they asked.

“It came about by the power of his prayers,” the Blessed One replied.

7.111“Lord, where did he make these prayers?”

“Monks,” the Blessed One recounted, “in times past, in this fortunate eon, when people lived as long as twenty thousand years and the tathāgata, the arhat, the totally and completely awakened buddha possessed of insight and perfect conduct, the sugata, the knower of the world, the tamer of persons, the charioteer, the unsurpassed one, the teacher of humans and gods, the blessed buddha known as Kāśyapa was in the world, his fame spread far and wide.

7.112“As the totally and completely awakened Buddha Kāśyapa dwelt in Vārāṇasī, he let fall a rain of nectar to satisfy living beings. At that time there was a certain young brahmin also living in that region, and he heard that in Vārāṇasī the totally [F.12.b] and completely awakened Buddha Kāśyapa was letting fall a rain of nectar to satisfy living beings. When he heard this he traveled to Ṛṣivadana and approached the totally and completely awakened Buddha Kāśyapa. Upon his arrival he touched his head to the feet of the totally and completely awakened Buddha Kāśyapa and sat before him to listen to the Dharma.

7.113“Then the totally and completely awakened Buddha Kāśyapa taught him the Dharma particularly suited to him. Having heard the Dharma from the totally and completely awakened Buddha Kāśyapa, he went for refuge, took the fundamental precepts, and then departed.

7.114“After that he gave gifts, made merit, went for refuge, and maintained the fundamental precepts all his life. At the time of his death, he prayed, ‘While I may not have attained any great virtues, still I have gone forth like this in the doctrine of the totally and completely awakened Buddha Kāśyapa and practiced pure conduct all my life. Therefore, may I please and not displease Uttara, the young brahmin prophesied by the totally and completely awakened Buddha Kāśyapa to be the next blessed buddha.’

7.115“O monks, what do you think? The one who was that brahmin then is none other than Nirgrantha Kinsman of the Kāśyapas. At that time he gave gifts, made merit, went for refuge, and maintained the fundamental precepts all his life. At the time of his death, he prayed, ‘While I may not have attained any great virtues, still I have gone forth like this in the doctrine of the totally and completely awakened Buddha Kāśyapa and practiced pure conduct all my life. Therefore, may I please and not displease Uttara, the young brahmin prophesied by the totally and completely awakened Buddha Kāśyapa to be the next blessed buddha.’

7.116“So it is, monks, now that I myself have become the very equal of the totally and completely awakened Buddha Kāśyapa‍—equal in strength, equal in deeds, [F.13.a] and equal in skillful means‍—that he has pleased me, and not displeased me.” [B28]

The Story of Foremost Kāśyapa

7.117When the Blessed One was in Śrāvastī, on a ridge among the mountains there lived a certain sage who had twelve thousand disciples. The sage was a master of all the scriptures, a person of great miracles and great power, who had placed all twelve thousand of his disciples in the four meditative states and five superknowledges.

7.118The Blessed One, having given a definitive teaching on the ripening of karma beneath the waters of Lake Anavatapta, flew up out of Lake Anavatapta with a suite of five hundred attendants and traveled through the sky to the garden of Prince Jeta. The sage and his retinue saw the Blessed One traveling through the sky with his suite of attendants, and no sooner had they seen the Blessed One than they felt a surge of joy toward him and left everything behind to become his followers. When they arrived at the garden of Prince Jeta they entered and went to see the Blessed One, touched their heads to the Blessed One’s feet, and sat before him to listen to the Dharma.

7.119The Blessed One directly apprehended the thoughts, habitual tendencies, temperament, capacity, and nature of the twelve thousand sages, taught them the Dharma accordingly, and all twelve thousand sages, realizing the truths, instantly manifested the resultant state of non-return right where they sat. But due to his arrogance and pride about his learning, the head sage attained nothing at all.

7.120The twelve thousand sages rose from their seats, drew down the right shoulder of their upper garments, bowed toward the Blessed One with palms pressed together, and requested the Blessed One, [F.13.b] “Lord, if permitted we wish to go forth in the Dharma and Vinaya so well spoken, complete our novitiates, and achieve full ordination. In the presence of the Blessed One, we too wish to practice the holy life.”

7.121With the words “Come, join me, monks!” the Blessed One led all twelve thousand sages to go forth as novices, conferred on them full ordination, and instructed them. Casting away all afflictive emotions through diligence, practice, and effort, they manifested arhatship. The head sage went forth along with them, but once again he attained nothing at all.

7.122Hearing of their accomplishment, he studied and began to make effort such that before long he had mastered the Tripiṭaka, and become a proponent of the Dharma with all the eloquence of wisdom and freedom. One day the thought came to him, “I’ve taught the Dharma to thousands upon thousands of beings, but I am not considered a Dharma teacher. Since hearing that all my friends achieved arhatship I’m not sure what to do. I haven’t achieved anything of significance. I will put aside study and meditation for a while, and just concentrate on this.”

7.123He reflected on all that he had learned, pondered it, thought it through, cast away all afflictive emotions, and manifested arhatship. As an arhat, free from the attachments of the three realms, his mind regarded gold no differently than filth, and the palms of his hands as like space itself. He became cool like wet sandalwood. His insight crushed ignorance like an eggshell. He achieved the insights, superknowledges, and discriminations. He had no regard for worldly profit, passion, or acclaim. He became an object of offering, veneration, and respectful address by Indra, Upendra, and the other gods.

7.124Then the monks requested the Blessed One, [F.14.a] “Lord, tell us why, due to his arrogance and pride about his learning, the head sage did not achieve anything, and then by reflecting on all he had learned, pondering it, and thinking it through, he cast away all afflictive emotions and manifested arhatship.”

“Not only now,” the Blessed One explained, “but in times past as well, and in the same way, he reflected, pondered, and thought until he generated the four meditative states and five superknowledges. Listen well!

7.125“Monks, in times gone by, a certain brahmin named Foremost Kāśyapa was living in the wilderness. One day, in search of roots and fruit, he went out onto the mountainside, where he saw twelve thousand sages. Elated at the sight of them, he thought, ‘While I have been leading the life of a householder, they have gone forth from household life, and consequently will be liberated from saṃsāra. I too shall go forth in their very presence!’ With this thought he left everything behind to go forth in the sages’ presence, and after joining them he gained perfect comprehension of all fields of knowledge.

7.126“One day the chief sage died, and the twelve thousand young brahmins began to grieve, wailing in misery and lamenting the sage’s death. Foremost Kāśyapa said to them, ‘Young brahmins, do not mourn so. Do not suffer so. Do not lament. I shall provide for all your needs.’ He called together all twelve thousand young brahmins, and, after giving them instructions to ponder, they too generated the four meditative states and the five superknowledges.

7.127“Some time later, Foremost Kāśyapa [F.14.b] thought, ‘My disciples have realized all the instructions that I myself have pondered, but what use are my studies to me if, because of arrogance and pride about them, I have not achieved anything?’ Then, by reflecting on all he had learned, pondering it, and thinking it through, he generated the four meditative states and the five superknowledges.

7.128“O monks, what do you think? The one who was Foremost Kāśyapa then is none other than this sage. At that time, because of his arrogance and pride, he did not achieve anything, and then, by reflecting on all he had learned, pondering it, and thinking it through, he generated the four meditative states and the five superknowledges. Now, as well, because of his arrogance and pride he did not achieve anything, and then, by reflecting on all he had learned, pondering it, and thinking it through, he cast away all afflictive emotions and manifested arhatship.”

7.129The monks inquired of the Blessed Buddha, “What action did the sage and his disciples take that ripened such that they pleased the Blessed One, did not displease him, went forth in the doctrine of the Blessed One, cast away all afflictive emotions, and manifested arhatship?”

“It came about by the power of their prayers,” replied the Blessed One.

7.130“Lord, where did they make these prayers?”

“Monks,” the Blessed One recounted, “in times past, in this fortunate eon, when people lived as long as forty thousand years, and the totally and completely awakened buddha possessed of insight and perfect conduct, the sugata, the knower of the world, the tamer of persons, the charioteer, the unsurpassed one, the teacher of humans and gods, the blessed buddha [F.15.a] known as Krakucchanda was in the world, Krakucchanda carried out all the activities of a buddha and passed beyond all sorrow into the realm of nirvāṇa without any remainder of the aggregates. King Śobha performed a pūjā for his remains. He built a stūpa for his remains, made extensive offerings to the stūpa, and inaugurated the traditional festival of the stūpa.

7.131“When the time came for the traditional festival of the stūpa, in the realm of King Śobha there was a certain ruler from the wilderness who had twelve thousand attendants, and he likewise put great effort into making offerings to the stūpa, and prayed, ‘By the root of this virtue, wherever I am born, may it be into a family of great means, prosperity, and wealth. Going forth in the doctrine of a teacher just like this one may I cast away all afflictive emotions, and manifest arhatship.’

7.132“When they saw this his attendants asked, ‘Your Majesty, what did you pray?’ and the king told them in detail. Then his attendants themselves prayed, ‘May we also, by entrusting ourselves to His Majesty, please and not displease a teacher just like this one. May we go forth in his doctrine, cast away all afflictive emotions, and manifest arhatship.’

7.133“O monks, what do you think? The one who was that ruler from the wilderness then is none other than this sage. Those who were his twelve thousand attendants are now none other than these twelve thousand brahmins. At that time the actions of venerating the stūpa and saying that prayer ripened such that wherever they were born, it was into a family of great means, prosperity, and wealth, [F.15.b] and such that they pleased me, did not displease me, went forth in my very doctrine, cast away all afflictive emotions, and manifested arhatship.

7.134“So too all twelve thousand sages, by entrusting themselves to me, have pleased me, not displeased me, gone forth in my very doctrine, cast away all afflictive emotions, and manifested arhatship.

7.135“They also went forth in the teaching of the totally and completely awakened Buddha Kāśyapa. After practicing pure conduct all their lives then, their faculties ripened, and now they have been liberated.”

The Story of Mounted on an Elephant

7.136When the Blessed One was in Rājagṛha, there lived in Rājagṛha a certain elephant trainer of King Bimbisāra’s whose name was Elephant Heart. He was prosperous and wealthy, a person of vast and magnificent means, endowed with the wealth of Vaiśravaṇa‍—with wealth to rival Vaiśravaṇa’s.

7.137When the time came for him to marry he took a wife, and they enjoyed themselves and coupled. One day his wife conceived, and after nine or ten months had passed, she gave birth to a child who was well proportioned, pleasing to the eye, and beautiful. At the elaborate feast celebrating his birth they asked, “What name should we give this child?” and they named him, saying, “Since this child was born to Elephant Heart, the elephant trainer, under the constellation Citra, his name will be Citra Mounted on an Elephant.”

7.138They reared young Citra Mounted on an Elephant on milk, yogurt, butter, ghee, and milk solids. As the young man grew up, they made him study letters, [F.16.a] and trained him in all the different fields of craft and skill in which duly consecrated rulers of the royal caste train, such as how to ride an elephant, how to ride horseback, how to wield a weapon, and how to shoot an arrow, advance, retreat, wage war, grasp with an iron hook, wield a lasso, shoot a spear, throw a single-pointed vajra, throw other single-pointed weapons, and throw a disk; how to cut, cleave, grapple and hold, employ footwork, guard one’s head, strike from a distance, and strike at the noise of an unseen enemy; and how to target the vital points, take infallible aim, and maximize damage. By the time he had been educated in all of these, he was learned in the five fields of knowledge.

7.139One day his parents died, and King Bimbisāra appointed him as elephant trainer, passing on to him the work of his father. When the time came for him to marry he took a wife, and they enjoyed themselves and coupled.

Some time later, he found faith in the doctrine of the Blessed One, went for refuge and took the fundamental precepts, gave gifts and made merit, and went forth in the doctrine of the Blessed One. Once he had gone forth, he studied the Tripiṭaka and became a proponent of the Dharma with all the eloquence of his wisdom and freedom.

7.140One day he thought, “I have completed whatever duties were before me in terms of my education. From now on I will put my efforts into contemplation.” So he took up contemplation, and by foregoing sleep from dusk to dawn, he progressed as far as the meditation known as the absorption of neither discrimination nor non-discrimination. He gathered five hundred disciples and they became his attendants. [F.16.b] He left and wandered the countryside with his disciples. Eventually he returned from wandering the countryside, and the ministers informed King Bimbisāra that he had gone forth.

7.141“Your Majesty, Citra Mounted on an Elephant has gone forth, and has no children. Since he has no children, everything he owns is Your Majesty’s to command.”

“I only have authority over the wealth of the dead,” the king replied. “I have no authority over the wealth of the living. But this noble child yet lives, and it’s always possible for sages to reverse course and become householders once again.” So the king would not take anything from his house.

7.142Citra Mounted on an Elephant’s wife heard that he had arrived in Rājagṛha with his five hundred attendants, and when she heard this she invited him and his five hundred disciples to the house and offered them food. His wife wondered, “Has he done what was before him, or is he just an ordinary person? If he is an ordinary person, I shall devise a means of bringing him back.”

7.143As he was eating his food she dropped in front of him a copper pot from the roof of the house, and he was startled by the sound. He began to poke idly at the copper pot with his knife as he ate his food. Seeing all this, the wife thought, “He’s no arhat. Since he’s just an ordinary person, I’ll be able to bring him back.”

7.144She bowed at his feet and said, “My lord, our wealth has been dwindling on account of your absence. So, lord, please permit me to request you and your five hundred disciples to come here for your meal again tomorrow.” Citra Mounted on an Elephant assented to his wife by his silence.

7.145The next day she offered food to one hundred and fifty of his attendants, and on the following day she only invited one hundred. In this way the woman gradually reduced the number of his attendants, until on the last day [F.17.a] he was the only one to whom she offered food. Once she had offered him food, to bring him back again she began to talk about being destitute. “My lord, since you have been absent, even the servants insult me,” she said.

7.146Now, earlier she had instructed one of the young servants, “As I’m sitting there listening to the Dharma you are to summon me three times‍—say, ‘Get over here!’ When I come to you, grab me by the hair and beat me in sight of our lord.” So the young servant did just that.

“You see, my lord?” the woman said. “They treat me this way even in your sight.”

7.147Hearing this, in an instant Citra Mounted on an Elephant was consumed with fury. In his rage he took up a sword that his wife had earlier placed on the bed, drew it from its sheath, and charged at the young servant. His wife threw herself at his feet.

“Wait, lord‍—don’t be rash!” she pleaded. “You can punish him after you’ve given up your precepts.”

7.148So Citra Mounted on an Elephant gave back the fundamental precepts there before his wife. He cast aside the colorful robes of the holy, donned householder’s clothing, and his wife said, “I did this, lord, as a means of bringing you back. Lord, I ask therefore that you not harbor resentment against him. Lord, the household’s wealth is vast. From this day forth, lord, may you stay here and make use of it as you please, giving gifts and making merit.”

7.149When King Bimbisāra heard that Citra Mounted on an Elephant had given back his precepts and was in decline, the king summoned him and offered him his previous position. In the morning a group of monks donned their lower garments and Dharma robes, and, carrying their begging [F.17.b] bowls, went for alms in Rājagṛha. On their way for alms in Rājagṛha the group of monks heard that Citra Mounted on an Elephant had given back his precepts and was in decline. Upon hearing this, they took alms in Rājagṛha, ate their meal and wiped their hands. Then they set aside taking alms, put away their alms bowls and Dharma robes, washed their feet, and went to see the Blessed One. Upon their arrival they touched their heads to the Blessed One’s feet and took a seat at one side.

7.150Once they had taken a seat at one side, the group of monks informed the Blessed One, “Lord, in the morning we monks donned our lower garments and Dharma robes, and, carrying our alms bowls, set out toward Rājagṛha for alms, when we monks who were making our way to Rājagṛha for alms heard, Lord, that Citra Mounted on an Elephant had given back his precepts, and was in decline.”

“Monks,” the Blessed One Replied, “that noble child will not be at home for long. He will go forth in my very doctrine once again, and then cast away all afflictive emotions and manifest arhatship.”

7.151One day the Blessed One saw that the time had come to tame Citra Mounted on an Elephant. In the morning he donned his lower garment and Dharma robes, and, carrying his alms bowl, he went for alms in Rājagṛha. In going for alms he eventually came to the house where Citra Mounted on an Elephant was staying and stood at the door of the house. In order to bring Citra Mounted on an Elephant back, he bathed the entire house in rays of light that gave it the appearance of refined gold, whereupon Citra Mounted on an Elephant thought, “To whom could this light [F.18.a] belong? There’s no doubt‍—it can only be the Blessed One. Wherever the Blessed One may be, may he think of me.”

7.152At that moment a messenger arrived to inform Citra Mounted on an Elephant that the Blessed One was at his door. With the greatest respect he went to see the Blessed One, and upon his arrival he touched his head to the Blessed One’s feet, bowed toward the Blessed One with palms pressed together, and inquired of him, “Blessed One, what word can you grant us?”

7.153The Blessed One said to him, “Give up living at home. Come with me, and go forth in my presence once again.”

From life to life the Blessed One had never contravened the words of his guru nor the words of those who were like gurus to him. For this reason no one can contravene the words of the Blessed One.

7.154Citra Mounted on an Elephant replied, “I shall do as the Blessed One has instructed,” and followed the Blessed One. The Blessed One brought him to Bamboo Grove, led him to go forth as a novice, conferred on him full ordination, and instructed him. Casting away all afflictive emotions with diligence, practice, and effort, he manifested arhatship.

7.155“Lord,” the monks asked the Blessed One, “what action did Citra Mounted on an Elephant take that ripened such that he pleased the Blessed One, did not displease him, went forth in the doctrine of the Blessed One, cast away all afflictive emotions, and manifested arhatship?”

“It came about by the power of his prayers,” replied the Blessed One.

7.156“Lord, where did he make these prayers?” [F.18.b]

“Monks,” the Blessed One recounted, “in times gone by, in a certain mountain village there lived a householder named Citra. He was prosperous and wealthy, a person of vast and magnificent means, endowed with the wealth of Vaiśravaṇa‍—with wealth to rival Vaiśravaṇa’s.

“One day in spring the tree branches in the garden had thickened and the flowers were in bloom.

7.157Now in times when a blessed one has not arisen in the world, in compassion for the destitute and suffering the solitary buddhas appear, taking up residence in remote places. Solitary as the rhinoceros, in all the world they alone are worthy of offerings. So it was that there was a certain solitary buddha who, wishing to go for alms on that mountainside, heard the sounds of music coming from the park and thought, ‘What need is there to go out onto the mountainside for the sake of this stomach, so difficult to fill? I will go into the garden. My alms can come from there as well.’

7.158“The solitary buddha entered the garden, where the householder saw him, elegant in body and elegant in mind. When he saw the solitary buddha, the householder experienced a surge of joy toward him. In his joy he offered him food, and said, ‘Noble one, where are you staying? Let me offer you my respectful service.’

“The solitary buddha replied, ‘I am staying at such-and-such a place, deep in the forest,’ and departed.

7.159“After that, from time to time the householder would offer him a meal and his respectful service. One day the householder went to see him and found the solitary buddha sitting beneath a tree as if asleep, legs crossed, his body drawn up like a nāga king. Upon seeing the solitary buddha living in such solitude, he felt a strong desire to go forth, so he [F.19.a] approached the solitary buddha, touched his head to his feet, and said, ‘Noble one, please lead me to go forth. In your presence I too wish to practice the holy life.’

7.160“ ‘I don’t lead people to go forth,’ the solitary buddha told him. ‘The sages lead people to go forth. Therefore, take yourself to the sages.’

“When he heard this the householder immediately gave up household affairs, gave gifts and made merit, and went forth to join the sages. Having thus gone forth he generated the four meditative states and the five superknowledges. After he had gone forth, the solitary buddha passed into parinirvāṇa.

7.161“Then the thought came to one of the sages, ‘I will go to this spiritual teacher, so supremely worthy of offerings, and offer him my respect and service. Through him I shall understand the distinctions between the higher states.’ He went to the forest but he could not find the solitary buddha. Spotting another solitary buddha there in the forest, he asked after him.

7.162“ ‘O noble one, there was a monk with such-and-such a build and bearing staying in this forest. Do you know where he went?’

“ ‘He passed into parinirvāṇa,’ the solitary buddha told him.

7.163“ ‘Where was he when he passed into parinirvāṇa?’ he asked, whereupon the solitary buddha showed him his remains. He built a reliquary stūpa for the remains and venerated it with burning sticks of incense, incense powder, incense cones, and flowers, praying, ‘Oh, by this root of virtue, wherever I am born, may it be into a family of great means, prosperity, and wealth. May I please and not displease a teacher even more exalted than this. May I achieve such great virtues.’ [F.19.b] Having prayed thus, he departed from the region. Some time after that he died, transmigrated, and took rebirth in Brahmāloka.

7.164“O monks, what do you think? The one who was that householder then is none other than Citra Mounted on an Elephant. The act of respectfully serving the solitary buddha and saying that prayer ripened such that wherever he was born, it was into a family of great means, prosperity, and wealth. I am more exalted than even one hundred billion solitary buddhas, and he has pleased me, not displeased me, gone forth in my very doctrine, cast away all afflictive emotions, and manifested arhatship.”

7.165“Lord,” the monks inquired of the Blessed Buddha, “tell us why Citra Mounted on an Elephant’s wife found a means by which to indulge her desires with him.”

“Not only now,” the Blessed One explained, “but in times past as well, and in the same way, his wife found a means by which to indulge her desires with him. Listen well!

7.166“Monks, in times gone by, during King Brahmadatta’s reign in the city of Vārāṇasī, one of King Brahmadatta’s magistrates was a certain brahmin named Agnidatta . One day his wife conceived, and later she gave birth to twins. At the elaborate feast celebrating their birth they asked, ‘What names should we give these children?’ and they named them, saying, ‘Since these are Agnidatta ’s children, one’s name will be Son of Fire, and the other’s will be Tongue of Fire.’

7.167“They reared young Son of Fire and Tongue of Fire on milk, yogurt, butter, ghee, and milk solids, and as they grew up they studied letters, [F.20.a] brahminical customs and conduct, the syllables oṃ and bho, ritual purity, ritual actions, the collection of ashes, holding the ritual vase, the Ṛg Veda , the Yajur Veda , the Sāma Veda , the Atharva Veda , how to perform sacrificial rites, how to lead others in performing sacrificial rites, how to give and receive offerings, recitation, and recitation instruction. Trained in these procedures, they became masters of the six types of brahminical activities, and in time they mastered the eighteen sciences.

7.168“At a certain point the two came to see that their father administrated the affairs of the kingdom both righteously and unrighteously, and an idea came to them. They thought, ‘When our father is no longer with us, we will be appointed to take over the work of our father. Therefore, we should give up living at home.’ They thus told their parents, ‘For those who fear for their next life, it is better to live deep in the forest among the wild animals, wearing tree bark for clothing and eating fruit, than to kill, bind, and torture for the sake of a kingdom.’

“ ‘Mother, Father,’ they continued, ‘we are going to live in a forest devoted to austerities.’

7.169“Their parents asked them, ‘Children, why are you going to take up the austere practices of the sages, when after our deaths you could come and share the crown?’

“ ‘This is exactly what we are afraid of!’ the two children replied. ‘That’s why we want to go live deep in the forest. We are not capable of indulging in desire.’

7.170“Their parents tried many times, but they were not able to stop them, so they said, ‘Go forth, then. And should you achieve any special attainments, [F.20.b] please come see us.’

“ ‘As you wish,’ the two children replied.

7.171“The children bid a final farewell to their parents and traveled deep into the forest. After they had gone forth, they generated the four meditative states and five superknowledges. One day they remembered their promise to their parents that they would return to them if they achieved any special attainments. ‘Let us go, then,’ they said. They traveled through the sky and arrived before their parents. Seeing this, their parents felt a surge of joy toward them. In their joy they said, ‘The two of you desire alms. The two of us desire merit. Stay here in our garden, then, and we will offer you food.’

“ ‘As you wish,’ the two replied.

7.172“They fashioned a hut of branches and leaves and stayed there in the garden. They came to be held in high esteem and were revered, honored, and venerated. King Brahmadatta’s magistrate heard that the two children had become persons of great miracles and great power, and this immediately filled him with awe. He extended them an invitation and offered them food. After offering them food he bowed down at their feet and said, ‘Please come and see me from time to time.’

“ ‘As you wish, Deva,’ they replied.

7.173“So from time to time the two of them would travel through the sky to the royal palace and go to see King Brahmadatta. Upon their arrival King Brahmadatta [F.21.a] would take them from the sky into his lap and place them in their seats, and after contenting them with many good, wholesome foods he would sit before them to listen to the Dharma.

7.174“One day King Brahmadatta’s subjects who lived out in the mountains began to revolt. He arrayed the four divisions of his army and set out, telling his daughter, ‘When the two sages come you should serve and respect them in just the same way that I do.’ Having spoken thus the king departed.

7.175“Soon after, the sage Son of Fire sent the sage Tongue of Fire on an errand to the royal palace. He traveled through the sky to the royal palace, and upon the sage’s arrival the young woman received him, taking him from the sky into her lap, embracing him, and placing him in his seat.

7.176“A woman’s touch is a dangerous thing. No sooner had the woman touched the sage Tongue of Fire than his miraculous powers began to dwindle. The young woman, noting that the sage was well proportioned, pleasing to the eye, and beautiful, became very attached to him, and the two went off to an isolated place and slept together. When the retinue of queens heard of this, they thought, ‘If we say even a word to the sage, it’s possible the sage would use his great miracles and great power to curse us.’ Afraid, they were unable to say anything. The sage remained at the royal palace, not daring to travel by foot out of embarrassment.

7.177“Eventually King Brahmadatta returned from his victory over the mountain folk, arrived at the royal palace, and he heard that the sage Tongue of Fire had come there. The king hurried to see him and offered him many good, wholesome foods. His daughter came along, also bearing food and drink for the sage. As soon as the sage saw her he was overcome with desire. His desire for her intoxicated him, and before the king’s very eyes [F.21.b] he reached out, saying, ‘Take me into your arms.’ When the king saw this, he immediately took up a sharp sword to slay the sage.

7.178“Seeing this, the young woman said to the sage, ‘Preceptor, what is this? Perhaps you are confused because of some secret, pressing need, and now you are reaching your arms out?’

“King Brahmadatta thought, ‘I believe that is the case. This sage must be confused,’ and quickly offered him something to drink. Then they offered him food and sat before him to listen to the Dharma.

7.179“Now the sage Son of Fire, who was living in a forest devoted to austerities, wondered, ‘Why has the sage Tongue of Fire still not returned?’ He looked out and saw that he was spending his time indulging his desires. ‘He may now lose his life,’ he thought, so he traveled through the sky to the royal palace.

7.180“King Brahmadatta took the sage from the sky into his lap and placed him on his seat, then sat before him to listen to the Dharma. After he had explained just a little Dharma, he brought his younger brother back with him through the sky and returned him to the forest devoted to austerities. There he gave him instructions for contemplation such that he was again able to generate the four meditative states and the five superknowledges.

7.181“King Brahmadatta’s retinue of queens thought, ‘This young woman has committed such unfortunate deeds. If we do not apprise him, we too will come to regret this.’ With this in mind they told the king. When he heard what they had to say King Brahmadatta was immediately overcome with great hatred. He arrayed the four divisions of his army and set out to where the sages lived.

7.182“The sage Tongue of Fire saw that King Brahmadatta had set out with the four divisions of his army and that they were on their way. [F.22.a] ‘Why would he come here?’ he wondered, and looking out, he thought, ‘He wants to kill me!’ Knowing this to be the case, he rose up into the sky and sat there to instill faith in the king. King Brahmadatta saw that the sage Tongue of Fire had risen up into the sky and was just sitting there, and at the sight of him his fury disappeared, and he became uncertain as to whether or not the man had done as he had heard.

7.183“ ‘Well then,’ he thought, and he said in verse:

7.184“He answered in verse:

7.185“At that, King Brahmadatta began to feel doubt. He approached the sage Son of Fire and asked him, ‘Sage, tell me, why would I hear such things?’

“ ‘Great King,’ the sage replied, ‘it may indeed be true in exactly the way you heard, for the afflictive emotions are overpowering.’

“ ‘But how can it be that he indulged his desires in this way and yet is still possessed of these miraculous powers?’ the king asked.

7.186“ ‘Great King,’ the sage replied, ‘when he indulged his desires his miraculous powers dwindled. I brought him away from that place and gave him instructions, teaching him a method of contemplation. Later he began to perform miracles again.’

“Hearing this the king felt a surge of joy toward him. He bowed down at the sage’s feet, asked his forgiveness, and departed.

7.187“O monks, what do you think? I am the one who was that sage then and lived the life of a bodhisattva. The one who was my younger brother then is none other than Citra Mounted on an Elephant. [F.22.b] The one who was the young woman then is none other than his wife. At that time he fell from the celibate state and began to indulge his desires until I lifted him up again and placed him in the four meditative states and five superknowledges. Now as well he has fallen from the celibate state and indulged his desires, and I have lifted him up and established him in the unsurpassed, supreme welfare of nirvāṇa.

7.188“He also went forth in the teaching of the totally and completely awakened Buddha Kāśyapa. After practicing pure conduct all his life then, his faculties ripened, and now he has been liberated.” [B29]

The Story of Saraṇa

7.189When the Blessed One was in Rājagṛha, King Pradyota reigned in Ujjayinī, and King Udayana reigned in Vatsa. The two did not agree with one another, and from time to time a great many people were killed.

7.190When Venerable Kātyāyanaputra cast away all afflictive emotions and manifested arhatship, he thought, “The Blessed One has dispelled so many kinds of suffering and anguish, brought me so many kinds of happiness and bliss, cleared away so many of my sins and nonvirtues, and secured for me such virtues. After I entrusted myself to the Blessed Buddha as my spiritual friend, he led me over the mountain pass of bones and dried up an ocean of blood and tears. How could I repay the Blessed One’s kindness?”

7.191And then he thought, “Anytime a blessed buddha arises in the world, [F.23.a] it is only to benefit beings. Surely then I should also act for the benefit of beings!” Reflecting in this way, he began to wonder, “Whom might I tame?” Then he looked out, and he saw that he could tame many in Vatsa.

7.192He went to see the Blessed One, and upon his arrival he touched his head to the Blessed One’s feet, drew down the right shoulder of his upper garment, bowed toward him with palms pressed together, and implored him, “Lord, I wish to go out into the countryside.”

7.193The Blessed One replied, “Go, Kātyāyanaputra. Deliver others just as you yourself have crossed over. Liberate others just as you yourself have been liberated. Relieve others just as you yourself have found relief. Lead others to pass beyond all sorrow just as you yourself have completely passed beyond all sorrow.”

7.194Venerable Kātyāyanaputra touched his head to the Blessed One’s feet and departed to travel through the countryside with a company of five hundred. They made their way, traveling and traveling, until they eventually arrived in the land of Ujjayinī. There he led King Caṇḍapradyota to take up the doctrine of the Buddha. Then he traveled to Vatsa and led King Udayana to dwell in sublime faith. He brought many to faith in the doctrine of the Blessed One.

7.195One day King Udayana of Vatsa’s queen conceived, and after nine or ten months had passed she gave birth to a child who was well proportioned, pleasing to the eye, and beautiful. At the elaborate feast celebrating his birth they named him Saraṇa. They reared young Saraṇa on milk, yogurt, butter, ghee, and milk solids, and he [F.23.b] flourished like a lotus in a lake.

7.196As he grew up, they made him study letters, and trained him in all the different fields of craft and skill in which duly consecrated rulers of the royal caste train, such as how to ride an elephant, how to ride horseback, how to wield a weapon, and how to shoot an arrow, advance, retreat, wage war, grasp with an iron hook, wield a lasso, shoot a spear, throw a single-pointed vajra, throw other single-pointed weapons, and throw a disk; how to cut, cleave, grapple and hold, employ footwork, guard one’s head, strike from a distance, and strike at the noise of an unseen enemy; and how to target the vital points, take infallible aim, and maximize damage. By the time he had been educated in all of these, he was learned in the five fields of knowledge.

7.197One day young Saraṇa entrusted himself to Venerable Kātyāyanaputra, found faith in the teaching of the Blessed One, went for refuge, and took the fundamental precepts. Then he came to see that his father administrated the affairs of the kingdom both righteously and unrighteously, and he thought, “After my father’s death the throne will be ceded to me. I have no need for a kingdom. Instead, I will go forth in the doctrine of the Blessed One in order to ford the floodwaters and completely escape my fetters with diligence, practice, and effort.” With this thought he asked for his parents’ permission, went forth as a novice in the presence of Venerable Kātyāyanaputra, and received full ordination.

Venerable Kātyāyanaputra thought, “He should leave this country,” and led him to settle down in Ujjayinī.

7.198One morning, Venerable Saraṇa donned his lower garment and Dharma robes, and, carrying his alms bowl, went for alms in the city of Ujjayinī. [F.24.a] He did not know his way around the area, nor was he very familiar with the streets and thoroughfares. As he went for alms he eventually came to the main gate of King Caṇḍapradyota’s palace, and it so happened that the gatekeeper was not there.

7.199He entered the palace, and the royal queens saw his fine form, elegant and muscular. At the sight of him they experienced a surge of joy and thought, “What a finely formed, elegant, muscular young monk, upholding the holy life!” In their joy they prepared a seat, invited him to sit there, and contented him with many good, wholesome foods. Then they gathered around Venerable Saraṇa and placed him in the middle to listen to the Dharma.

7.200As he was sitting there, King Caṇḍapradyota came to see his retinue of queens. Now when the king enters their midst it is customary for his queens to rise to receive him, but because they so much enjoyed listening to the Dharma, they neither rose nor greeted him. At this King Caṇḍapradyota wondered, “What is this? Why do my queens not receive me?” The king became suspicious and approached his retinue of queens in anger. He looked about, saw Venerable Saraṇa there, surrounded by the queens, and bristled with rage. In his anger he thought, “This monk is ogling my wives, that’s why they’re not receiving me!” Then he thought, “I will watch a while and see whether he is he rid of lust.”

7.201Thereupon he inquired of Venerable Saraṇa, “Tell me, are you an arhat?”

“No, Great King, I am not,” he replied.

“Tell me,” the king continued, “have you attained the resultant state of non-return, or once-return, [F.24.b] or stream entry? Have you attained the sphere of absorption of neither discrimination nor non-discrimination, the sphere of absorption of nothingness, the sphere of absorption of infinite consciousness, and the sphere of absorption of infinite space? Have you attained the fourth absorption? The third? The second? Or the first?”

“No, Great King, I have not,” he replied.

7.202The king thought, “This monk is not rid of lust. He has not trained under a preceptor nor under a spiritual master. I shall train him, then!” And he summoned his personal attendants, who lashed the monk viciously before letting him go.

His skin lacerated from the lashing, Venerable Saraṇa angrily thought, “I have been wrongly accused, and now this cruel king of this wicked age has thrashed me. I must go now and stay in my father’s country. There I shall array the four divisions of his army to rout this cruel king of this wicked age and trample him to dust.”

7.203He went to see Venerable Kātyāyanaputra. Upon his arrival he bowed down at Venerable Kātyāyanaputra’s feet and told him, “My preceptor, I have been wrongly accused and thrashed by a cruel king of this wicked age. I shall now go to my parents, and when I get there I will array the four divisions of my father’s army to rout this cruel king of this wicked age and trample him to dust. Therefore, I am requesting to give back my precepts.”

7.204“Child,” replied the elder monk, “don’t fall under the sway of anger. Did the Blessed One not state that renunciants should meet with forbearance these eight worldly concerns: gain and loss, fame and obscurity, praise and blame, and happiness and suffering?” Three times the elder monk tried to stop him, but he was unable to do so. So Venerable Kātyāyanaputra told him, “If that’s the case, my boy, and you want to go, since it’s almost dark now [F.25.a] and there is danger of lions, tigers, leopards, and bears on the path, stay here for the night. In the morning you can go.”

“As you wish, preceptor,” he replied.

7.205As he was sleeping in the same dwelling as the elder monk, to stop him Venerable Kātyāyanaputra performed a miracle that caused him, as he slept, to dream he gave back his precepts, then went to his father’s country and bid his father to let him rule the kingdom. His father offered him the four divisions of his army and told him, “First exterminate your enemy.” After hearing this, he immediately arrayed the four divisions of the army and led the soldiers into King Caṇḍapradyota’s country.

7.206But King Caṇḍapradyota defeated him in battle, overcame him and put him to flight, and then captured him alive and sent him to be executed. The executioners led him away, and as they neared the spot where he was to be executed, in the dream he looked about him, saw Venerable Kātyāyanaputra going for alms in the city of Ujjayinī, and shouted, “Preceptor, please protect me! Please take on the difficult task of saving my precious life!”

7.207He awoke still terrified and sprang up, believing that what he dreamt had really taken place. Venerable Kātyāyanaputra said to him, “Son, what you saw was just a dream. Don’t be afraid.”

Saraṇa was immediately relieved to hear this, and he started to think, “It’s the ‘me’ that is here that is Saraṇa. I haven’t harmed a single being. Under the sway of anger I would kill many, even in my dreams. [F.25.b] I will give up all such ambitions.” Then the elder monk, recognizing his disillusionment, taught him the Dharma accordingly. Saraṇa thus cast away all afflictive emotions and manifested arhatship right where he sat.

7.208King Caṇḍapradyota heard that the monk he had lashed was King Udayana’s son and came to see him. He bowed down at his feet, and begged his forgiveness. He entrusted himself to him, and invited Kātyāyanaputra to take his meal with him for seven days.

7.209One day Venerable Kātyāyanaputra thought, “I must rid myself of this worldly profit and acclaim,” so he went with Venerable Saraṇa to Rājagṛha. The monks heard what had happened to Venerable Saraṇa and asked the Blessed One, “Lord, what action did Saraṇa take that ripened into his taking birth into a family of great means, prosperity, and wealth? What action did he take that ripened into his being lashed by King Caṇḍapradyota, and that after that he pleased the Blessed One, did not displease him, went forth in the doctrine of the Blessed One, cast away all afflictive emotions, and manifested arhatship?”

7.210“Monks,” the Blessed One explained, “such are the actions that he committed and accumulated:

“Monks, in times gone by, King Brahmadatta reigned in the city of Vārāṇasī. One day, attended by his retinue of queens, he went into the gardens, where he fell asleep. The women wandered here and there in the garden, their hearts set on finding flowers and fruit.

7.211“Now in times when a blessed one has not arisen in the world, the solitary buddhas appear. So it was that a solitary buddha [F.26.a] had bedded down in that garden for the night. The women saw him there, elegant in body and elegant in mind, and felt a surge of joy at the sight of him. In their joy they bowed down at his feet and sat before him to listen to the Dharma.

7.212“When the king awoke and his retinue of queens did not appear, he seethed with rage. The king took up a sharp sword and went to track them down. He saw the solitary buddha expounding the Dharma to his retinue of queens and thought, ‘This monk is ogling my wives!’ and became even more enraged. He gave orders to his personal attendants, who lashed the solitary buddha viciously before letting him go.

7.213“The solitary buddha thought, ‘It’s not right for this emotionally afflicted person, who has become so abased, to go on roaming forever. I have to help him.’ So he rose up into the sky, making a miraculous display of fire and light, rain and lightning.

7.214“Ordinary people are quickly brought to faith by miracles. The king thus felt a surge of joy at the sight of this, and in his joy he bowed down at the solitary buddha’s feet like a tree felled by a saw, saying, ‘Oh great fortunate one, please, please come down. I am mired in misdeeds! Please reach down and lift me up!’

7.215“Out of compassion for him, the solitary buddha descended, whereupon the king bowed down at his feet, asked his forgiveness, and provided for his every need for as long as he lived. There in the park he fashioned a hut of branches and leaves, and respectfully provided for his every need.

7.216“One day the solitary buddha thought, ‘What’s left to be done with this body? I will enter the realm of nirvāṇa.’ After reflecting in this way, he made a miraculous display of fire and light, rain and lightning, [F.26.b] and passed into parinirvāṇa.

7.217“After that the king venerated his remains. He built a reliquary stūpa for the remains, made a large offering to the stūpa, and prayed, ‘May I not experience the results of the act of doing harm to such a pure being. By the root of virtue of having paid homage to him, wherever I am born, may it be into a family of great means, prosperity, and wealth. May I please and not displease a teacher even more exalted than this. Going forth in his doctrine alone may I cast away all afflictive emotions, and manifest arhatship.’

7.218“O monks, what do you think? The one who was King Brahmadatta then is none other than Saraṇa. The act of harming the solitary buddha ripened such that wherever he was born, his body was lashed until he died.

“I am more exalted than even one hundred billion solitary buddhas, and now he has pleased me, and not displeased me, gone forth in my very doctrine, cast away all afflictive emotions, and manifested arhatship.

7.219“He also went forth in the teaching of the totally and completely awakened Buddha Kāśyapa. After practicing pure conduct all his life then, his faculties ripened, and now he has been liberated.”

The Mṛgavratins

7.220When the Blessed One was in Rājagṛha, the Mṛgavratins of the province of Videha, a group of ascetics who took vows to live as deer, were living in the company of some five hundred deer, draped in deerskin and wearing horns, eating grass, and drinking water.

7.221The blessed buddhas, teachers of the one path [F.27.a] to be traversed, with mastery over wisdom and the two types of knowable objects, in command of the three kinds of sterling equanimity, fearless by means of the fourfold fearlessness, freed from migration through the five destinies, keen in the six sense bases, practiced in the seven limbs of enlightenment, focused on the eight liberations, absorbed in the nine successive meditative absorptions, possessing all ten of the ten powers, whose proclamations are the great roaring of a perfect lion, by nature regard the world with their buddha eyes six times throughout the day and night‍—three times by day and three times by night.

7.222These are their thoughts as they look out in wisdom: “Who is in decline? Who will flourish? Who is destitute? Who is in a dreadful state? Who is being harmed? Who is destitute, in a dreadful state, and being harmed? Who is veering toward the lower realms? Who is descending through the lower realms? Who has descended to the lower realms? Whom shall I pull up from the lower realms, and establish in the resultant state of heaven and liberation? Whom, mired in misdeeds, shall I lift up by the hand? Whom, lacking the seven jewels of the noble ones, shall I lead to command of the seven jewels of the noble ones? Whom, not having produced roots of virtue, shall I lead to produce them? Whom, having already produced roots of virtue, shall I lead to ripen their roots of virtue? Whom, having already ripened their roots of virtue, shall I slice open with the blade of wisdom? For whom shall I cause this world, adorned with a buddha’s presence, to be fruitful?”

7.224The Blessed One thought, “The time has come to tame these five hundred Mṛgavratins.” So the Blessed One performed a miracle that caused the Mṛgavratins to see the deer headed to Rājagṛha, [F.27.b] and having seen the deer, to travel with them to Rājagṛha. After they had done so, the deer that the Blessed One had emanated disappeared.

7.225A great crowd of people caught sight of them and began to mock them, and since they were being mocked, they left Rājagṛha and traveled to Bamboo Grove. Out of compassion for them, the Blessed One then took a seat facing them. The Mṛgavratins saw the Blessed One from a distance, and at the sight of the Blessed One, they felt joy toward him. In their joy they approached the Blessed One, touched their heads to his feet, and sat before him to listen to the Dharma.

7.226The Blessed One directly apprehended the thoughts, habitual tendencies, temperament, capacity, and nature of the five hundred Mṛgavratins and taught them the Dharma accordingly. Hearing it, they destroyed with the thunderbolt of wisdom the twenty high peaks of the mountain of views concerning the transitory collection, and manifested the resultant state of stream entry right where they sat.

7.227After they saw the truths, they rose from their seats, drew down the right shoulder of their upper garments, bowed toward the Blessed One with palms pressed together, and requested the Blessed One, “Lord, if permitted we wish to go forth in the Dharma and Vinaya so well spoken, complete our novitiates, and achieve full ordination. In the presence of the Blessed One, we too wish to practice the holy life.”

With the words “Come, join me, monks!” the Blessed One led them to go forth as novices, conferred on them full ordination, and instructed them. Casting away all afflictive emotions through diligence, practice, and effort, they manifested arhatship.

7.228“Lord,” [F.28.a] the monks inquired of the Blessed One, “what action did these five hundred monks take that ripened into them adopting the mannerisms of deer, eating grass and drinking water with the deer, and that they pleased the Blessed One, did not displease him, went forth in his doctrine, cast away all afflictive emotions, and manifested arhatship?”

7.229“These monks committed and accumulated the following actions,” the Blessed One replied.

“Monks, in times past, in this fortunate eon, when people lived as long as twenty thousand years and the tathāgata, the arhat, the totally and completely awakened buddha possessed of insight and perfect conduct, the sugata, the knower of the world, the tamer of persons, the charioteer, the unsurpassed one, the teacher of humans and gods, the blessed buddha known as Kāśyapa was in the world, he traveled through the countryside with a great saṅgha of monks and came to Rājagṛha.

7.230“At that time in Rājagṛha there was a certain brahmin with five hundred disciples living in a forest devoted to austerities. He saw the Blessed Kāśyapa and his disciples, and upon seeing them he said to the young brahmins, ‘Boys, look at Kāśyapa’s monks‍—roaming about like deer, no place to stay, just wandering off wherever they please!’ One day the brahmin and his five hundred disciples found faith in the doctrine of the Blessed One, and he and his five hundred disciples went forth in the presence of the totally and completely awakened Buddha Kāśyapa.

7.231“Having gone forth, they practiced pure conduct all their lives, and while they may not have attained any great virtues, at the time of their deaths they prayed, ‘While we may not have attained any great virtues, still we have gone forth like this in the doctrine of the totally and completely awakened Buddha Kāśyapa and practiced the holy life all our lives. [F.28.b] Therefore, may we please and not displease Uttara, the young brahmin prophesied by the totally and completely awakened Buddha Kāśyapa to be the next blessed buddha. May we go forth in his doctrine, cast away all afflictive emotions, and manifest arhatship.’

7.232“O monks, what do you think? Those who were the five hundred monks then are none other than these Mṛgavratins. The act of speaking harshly to the monks and calling them a bunch of deer ripened such that for five hundred lifetimes they took rebirth as deer. Now they are in their final existence, and until reaching this final state they continued to adopt the mannerisms of deer.

7.233“At that time they practiced pure conduct all their lives, and at the time of their deaths they prayed, ‘May we please and not displease Uttara, the young brahmin prophesied by the totally and completely awakened Buddha Kāśyapa to be the next blessed buddha. May we go forth in his doctrine, cast away all afflictive emotions, and manifest arhatship.’

7.234“So it is, monks, now that I myself have become the very equal of the totally and completely awakened Buddha Kāśyapa‍—equal in strength, equal in deeds, and equal in skillful means‍—that they have pleased me, not displeased me, gone forth in my very doctrine, cast away all afflictive emotions, and manifested arhatship.”

The Story of Candrā

7.235When the Blessed One was in Śrāvastī there lived a certain great, high brahmin named Candrasukha. When the time came for him to marry he took a wife. As they enjoyed themselves and coupled, one [F.29.a] day his wife conceived, and the impulse arose in her, “Wouldn’t it be nice if I could debate the advocates of the different philosophical schools!” She told her husband, “Lord, I’m having certain impulses‍—thinking things like, ‘Wouldn’t it be nice if I could debate the advocates of the different philosophical schools!’ ” The brahmin was skilled in the interpretation of signs, and the idea came to him that it was on account of the being in her womb that she had such impulses.

7.236After nine or ten months had passed, she gave birth to a child who was well proportioned, pleasing to the eye, and beautiful. At the elaborate feast celebrating her birth they asked, “What name should we give this child?” and they named her, saying, “Since this is Candrasukha’s child, her name will be Candrā.”

7.237They reared young Candrā on milk, yogurt, butter, ghee, and milk solids, and she flourished like a lotus in a lake. As she grew up, they educated her in letters there at home. Before long she mastered her letters, and there in the house she learned all of the scriptures from her father. She went on to defeat the advocates of the different philosophical schools and to master all the verses that she studied.

One day she heard that there was a certain ascetic in Śrāvastī named Gautama who claimed to be omniscient and all-seeing. When she heard this, she was immediately filled with wonder, and thought, “I will go and see what the ascetic Gautama is really like.”

7.238She asked for her parents’ permission and traveled to the garden of Prince Jeta, where she saw the Blessed Buddha from a distance. His body, graced and resplendent with the thirty-two signs of a great person, looked like it was on fire, like flames stoked with ghee, like a lamp set in a golden vessel, and like a pillar adorned with all manner of jewels. [F.29.b] He was immaculate, clear-minded, and pure of heart. When she saw the Blessed Buddha the sight of him filled her with supreme joy, for beings who have gathered the roots of virtue to see a buddha for the first time experience such rapture as is not to be had even by those who practice calm abiding meditation for twelve years.

7.239Full of such joy she approached the Blessed One, and upon her arrival she touched her head to the Blessed One’s feet and sat before him to listen to the Dharma. The Blessed One directly apprehended her thoughts, habitual tendencies, temperament, capacity, and nature, taught her the Dharma accordingly. Hearing it, the woman destroyed with the thunderbolt of wisdom the twenty high peaks of the mountain of views concerning the transitory collection, and manifested the resultant state of stream entry right where she sat.

7.240After she saw the truths, she rose from her seat, drew down the right shoulder of her upper garment, bowed toward the Blessed One with palms pressed together, and requested, “Blessed One, if permitted I wish to go forth in the Dharma and Vinaya so well spoken, complete my novitiate, and achieve full ordination. In the presence of the Blessed One, I too wish to practice the holy life.”

7.241The Blessed One presented her to Mahā­prajāpatī Gautamī, and Mahā­prajāpatī Gautamī led her to go forth as a novice, conferred on her full ordination, and instructed her. She cast away all afflictive emotions through diligence, practice, and effort, and manifested arhatship.

7.242At that time the Blessed One spoke to the monks, saying, “The nuns should meet separately for their formal acts.” Since Mahā­prajāpatī Gautamī was unable to recite the Prātimokṣa Sūtra, [F.30.a] she went to see the Blessed One. Upon her arrival she touched her head to the Blessed One’s feet and took a seat at one side.

7.243Once she had taken a seat at one side, Mahā­prajāpatī Gautamī beseeched the Blessed One, “The Blessed One has stated that the monks should meet separately for their formal acts, and that the nuns should also meet separately for their formal acts. Having said this, the Blessed One has taught the Prātimokṣa Sūtra to the monks, but has not taught it to the nuns. If the Blessed One teaches the Prātimokṣa Sūtra to the nuns, Blessed One, I shall seek to grasp it. It is impossible for the blessed buddhas to explain each word as they teach the Dharma, for there’s not enough time.”

The Blessed One replied to Mahā­prajāpatī Gautamī, “Gautamī, if it can be grasped after I have spoken it just one time, then I shall teach it.”

7.244At that time the nun Candrā was there in the assembly. She drew down the right shoulder of her upper garment, bowed toward the Blessed One with palms pressed together, and beseeched the Blessed One, “Blessed One, please teach the Prātimokṣa Sūtra. If it is spoken but one time I can grasp it.”

7.245Thereupon the Blessed One taught the Prātimokṣa Sūtra to the nuns. Though it was spoken only once, the nun Candrā mastered it and thereupon she also mastered the Tripiṭaka. Because she had learned all the verses immediately upon hearing them, she was commended by the Blessed One as foremost among keepers of the teachings.

7.246“Lord,” the monks inquired of the Blessed Buddha, “what action did the nun Candrā take that ripened into her birth into a family of great means, prosperity, and wealth, and that having learned all the scriptures and defeated in debate [F.30.b] the advocates of all the different philosophical schools, she pleased the Blessed One, did not displease him, went forth in the doctrine of the Blessed One, cast away all afflictive emotions, manifested arhatship, and was able to grasp all the teachings such that the Blessed One commended her as foremost among keepers of the teachings?”

“It came about by the power of her prayers,” replied the Blessed One.

7.247“When did she make these prayers?”

“Monks,” the Blessed One recounted, “in times past, in this fortunate eon, when people lived as long as twenty thousand years and the tathāgata, the arhat, the totally and completely awakened buddha possessed of insight and perfect conduct, the sugata, the knower of the world, the tamer of persons, the charioteer, the unsurpassed one, the teacher of humans and gods, the blessed buddha known as Kāśyapa was in the world, there was a certain woman who went forth in his teaching. The totally and completely awakened Buddha Kāśyapa had commended the preceptor who led her to go forth as foremost among keepers of the teachings.

7.248“After practicing pure conduct all her life, at the time of her death she prayed, ‘While I may not have attained any great virtues, still I have gone forth like this in the doctrine of the totally and completely awakened Buddha Kāśyapa and practiced pure conduct all my life. Therefore, may I please and not displease Uttara, the young brahmin prophesied by the totally and completely awakened Buddha Kāśyapa to be the next blessed buddha. Going forth in his doctrine alone may I cast away all afflictive emotions, and manifest arhatship. Just as the totally and completely awakened Buddha Kāśyapa commended my preceptor as foremost among keepers of the teachings, may the peerless Śākyamuni, King of the Śākyas, [F.31.a] commend me as foremost among keepers of the teachings as well.’

7.249“O monks, what do you think? The one who went forth as a nun in the teaching of the totally and completely awakened Buddha Kāśyapa then is none other than the nun Candrā. At that time she went forth, practiced pure conduct all her life, and prayed thus at the time of her death.

7.250“So it is, monks, now that I myself have become the very equal of the totally and completely awakened Buddha Kāśyapa‍—equal in strength, equal in deeds, and equal in skillful means‍—that she has pleased me, not displeased me, gone forth in my very doctrine, cast away all afflictive emotions, and manifested arhatship, and that I have commended her as foremost among keepers of the teachings.”

The Kinnara Spirits: Two Stories

The First “Kinnara” Story

7.251When the Blessed One was in Śrāvastī, there lived a certain householder, prosperous and wealthy, a person of vast and magnificent means, endowed with the wealth of Vaiśravaṇa‍—with wealth to rival Vaiśravaṇa’s. When the time came for him to marry he took a wife, and as they enjoyed themselves and coupled, one day his wife conceived. After nine or ten months had passed, she gave birth to a child who was well proportioned, pleasing to the eye, and beautiful, with glowing, golden skin and a well-rounded head, long arms, a broad brow, a fine and prominent nose, and eyebrows that met. At the elaborate feast celebrating his birth they asked, “What name should we give this child?” and they named him, saying, “Since this boy is extremely beautiful, and his appearance just like that of a kinnara spirit, his name will be Kinnara .”

7.252They reared young Kinnara on milk, yogurt, butter, ghee, and milk solids, [F.31.b] and he flourished like a lotus in a lake. As he grew up he studied letters, tallying, and arithmetic; the study of seals, lending, deposits, and commerce; and the examination of cloth, jewels, gems, incense, medicine, elephants, horses, and arms and armor. He became skilled in writing, skilled at reading, learned, decisive, and industrious, a master of the eight types of examination.

7.253Soon word spread throughout the six cities that in Śrāvastī such-and-such a householder’s child had an appearance just like that of a kinnara spirit. When the people heard this they were amazed, so they rushed to see him. Soon he became arrogant about his appearance and would not bow or stand out of respect for anyone. “No one strikes as fine a figure as I,” he thought.

“We must dispel his pride,” his parents thought. “We shall show him the Blessed One.”

7.254“Oh child,” they said, “do not think that no one strikes as fine a figure as you. Child, you have not seen the Blessed One. Your appearance is not even a hundredth, not even a thousandth, not even a hundred thousandth as fine as his.”

Upon hearing this he immediately began thinking, “We shall see whether the ascetic Gautama is really more handsome and well proportioned than I.” He went to see the Blessed One accompanied by a great crowd.

7.255The boy saw the Blessed One from a distance. His body, graced and resplendent with the thirty-two signs of a great person, looked like it was on fire, like flames stoked with ghee, like a lamp set in a golden vessel, and like a pillar adorned with all manner of jewels. [F.32.a] He was immaculate, clear-minded, and pure of heart. When he saw the Blessed One, all his arrogance about his own appearance vanished, and he experienced a surge of joy toward the Blessed One. In his joy he approached the Blessed One, touched his head to the Blessed One’s feet, and sat before him to listen to the Dharma.

7.256The Blessed One directly apprehended his thoughts, habitual tendencies, temperament, and nature, and taught him the Dharma accordingly. Hearing it, young Kinnara destroyed with the thunderbolt of wisdom the twenty high peaks of the mountain of views concerning the transitory collection, and manifested the resultant state of stream entry right where he sat. After seeing the truths, he asked for his parents’ permission, went forth in the doctrine of the Blessed One, cast away all afflictive emotions through diligence, practice, and effort, and manifested arhatship.

7.257“Lord,” the monks requested of the Blessed Buddha, “tell us why the Blessed One dispelled this youth’s arrogance about his appearance and established him in the unsurpassed, supreme welfare of nirvāṇa.”

“Not only now,” the Blessed One explained, “but in times past as well, and in the same way, I dispelled his arrogance about his appearance and placed him in the four meditative states and five superknowledges. Listen well!

7.258“Monks, in times gone by, there lived a certain brahmin in the city of Vārāṇasī. When the time came for him to marry he took a wife, and as they enjoyed themselves and coupled, one day his wife conceived. After nine or ten months had passed, she gave birth to a child who was well proportioned, pleasing to the eye, and beautiful.

7.259“They reared him on milk, yogurt, butter, [F.32.b] ghee, and milk solids, and when he grew up he became arrogant about his appearance. He would not speak sincerely to anyone, or bow, or stand out of respect. Soon his parents thought, ‘We must dispel his arrogance about his appearance, for if we don’t, it will never subside.’

7.260“At that time there lived a certain sage in one area of Vārāṇasī who had all the five superknowledges, a person of great miracles and great power. The brahmin said to the sage, ‘Our son is arrogant about his appearance‍—he will not speak sincerely to anyone and will neither bow nor stand. Please, dispel his arrogance about his appearance.’ The sage assented to the brahmin by his silence, and the brahmin took leave of the sage.

7.261“ ‘Child,’ the brahmin said, ‘Do not be so arrogant as to think that no one is your equal in appearance. In such-and-such a place devoted to austerities there lives a sage, and your appearance is not even a hundredth, not even a thousandth, not even a hundred thousandth as fine as his.’

7.262“The young man was astonished, and in his astonishment he went to see the sage. Upon seeing the young man, the sage emanated himself so that his appearance was superior to the youth’s own. From a distance the young man saw the sage, who was well proportioned, pleasing to the eye, and beautiful. He lost his arrogance about his own appearance, and felt joy toward the sage. In his joy he approached the sage, and upon his arrival he touched his head to his feet and sat before him to listen to the Dharma. Then the sage taught the young man the Dharma particularly suited to him, and the young man went forth in that very sage’s presence. As a renunciant [F.33.a] he generated the four meditative states and the five superknowledges.

7.263“O monks, what do you think? I am the one who was that sage then. The one who was that young man then is none other than this young man. At that time I dispelled his arrogance about his appearance and placed him in the four meditative states and the five superknowledges. Now as well I have dispelled his arrogance about his appearance and established him in the unsurpassed, supreme welfare of nirvāṇa.

7.264“He also went forth in the teaching of the totally and completely awakened Buddha Kāśyapa. After practicing pure conduct all his life then, his faculties ripened, and now he has been liberated.”

The Second “Kinnara” Story

7.265When the Blessed One was in Kapilavastu visiting his father and his son, one day King Śuddhodana invited the Blessed One for a meal, so the next day the Blessed One took his meal with the king’s retinue of queens. After the Blessed One had taken his meal with the retinue of queens and was on his way back, Yaśodharā climbed to the roof of the house and stood there gazing after the Blessed One. When she could not see him anymore, she leapt from the roof, and as she did so, by the power of the Buddha the ground became like a cotton cushion stuffed with wool, such that she was not harmed in the least.

7.266When the monks heard about these events, they requested the Blessed Buddha, “Lord, tell us why on the Blessed One’s account Yaśodharā sought to give up her life.”

“Not only now,” the Blessed One explained, “but in times past as well, and in the same way, on my account she gave up her life. [F.33.b] Listen well!

7.267“Monks, in times gone by, King Brahmadatta reigned in the city of Vārāṇasī. One day King Brahmadatta arrayed the four divisions of his army and set out to hunt deer, but he could not rein in his horse, so the king lost the divisions of his army and ended up somewhere else. Separated from his army, his body tired and aching, he entered the forest and sat down.

7.268“In that forest a certain kinnara and kinnarī were playing the lute, enjoying themselves, and coupling. When he saw them the king immediately fixated on the kinnarī. Under the sway of lust he impaled the kinnara with a poisonous arrow, and the kinnara died on the spot. Having slain the kinnara, the king approached the kinnarī and said, ‘Come with me, my dear. Let the two of us enjoy ourselves.’

7.269“The kinnarī said, ‘How can I enjoy myself with you when the dead body of my husband lies impaled before me? Let me venerate his relics for some time first. After that I’ll do as you wish.’ She gathered wood, placed the relics of the kinnara on the pile, lit the fire, and took a seat at one side. As the wood for the funeral pyre began to blaze, the kinnarī leapt into the fire and died.

7.270“Thereupon the king recited the following verse out of despair:

7.271“O monks, what do you think? I was that kinnara then, and lived the life of a bodhisattva. [F.34.a] The one who was the kinnarī then is none other than Yaśodharā. At that time she sacrificed her life for me, and now she has tried to cast away her life for me as well.”

7.272This concludes Part Seven of The Hundred Deeds. [B30]