6. The venerable Ānanda consented in silence. Then King Pasenadi went by elephant as far as the elephant could go, and then he dismounted and went to the venerable Ānanda on foot. After paying homage to him, he stood at one side and said to the venerable Ānanda: “If, venerable sir, the venerable Ānanda has no urgent business, it would be good if he would go to the bank of the river Aciravatī, out of compassion.”
7. The venerable Ānanda consented in silence. He went to the bank of the river Aciravatī and sat down at the root of a tree on a seat made ready. Then King Pasenadi went by elephant as far as the elephant could go, and then he dismounted and went to the venerable Ānanda on foot. After paying homage to him, he stood at one side and said to the venerable Ānanda: “Here, venerable sir, is an elephant rug. Let the venerable Ānanda be seated on it.”
“There is no need, great king. Sit down. I am sitting on my own mat.”
8. King Pasenadi of Kosala sat down on a seat made ready and said: “Venerable Ānanda, would the Blessed One behave with the body in such a way that he could be censured by recluses and brahmins?”831
“Great king, the Blessed One would not behave with the body in such a way that he could be censured by wise recluses and brahmins.” [114]
“Would the Blessed One, venerable Ānanda, behave with speech…behave with the mind in such a way that he could be censured by recluses and brahmins?”
“Great king, the Blessed One would not behave with speech…behave with the mind in such a way that he could be censured by wise recluses and brahmins.”
9. “It is wonderful, venerable sir, it is marvellous! For what we were unable to accomplish with a question has been accomplished by the venerable Ānanda with the answer to the question. We do not recognise anything of value in the praise and blame of others spoken by foolish ignorant persons, who speak without having investigated and evaluated; but we recognise as valuable the praise and blame of others spoken by wise, intelligent, and sagacious persons who speak after having investigated and evaluated.
10. “Now, venerable Ānanda, what kind of bodily behaviour is censured by wise recluses and brahmins?”
“Any bodily behaviour that is unwholesome, great king.”
“Now, venerable Ānanda, what kind of bodily behaviour is unwholesome?”
“Any bodily behaviour that is blameworthy, great king.”
“Now, venerable Ānanda, what kind of bodily behaviour is blameworthy?”
“Any bodily behaviour that brings affliction, great king.”
“Now, venerable Ānanda, what kind of bodily behaviour brings affliction?”
“Any bodily behaviour that has painful results, great king.”
“Now, venerable Ānanda, what kind of bodily behaviour has painful results?”
“Any bodily behaviour, great king, that leads to one’s own affliction, or to the affliction of others, or to the affliction of both, and on account of which unwholesome states increase and wholesome states diminish. Such bodily behaviour is censured by wise recluses and brahmins, great king.”832
11. “Now, venerable Ānanda, what kind of verbal behaviour is censured by wise recluses and brahmins?” “Any verbal behaviour that is unwholesome...(complete as in §10, substituting “verbal behaviour” for “bodily behaviour”)…”
12. “Now, venerable Ānanda, what kind of mental behaviour is censured by wise recluses and brahmins?”
“Any mental behaviour that is unwholesome...(complete as in §10, substituting “mental behaviour” for “bodily behaviour”) [115]…”
13. “Now, venerable Ānanda, does the Blessed One praise only the abandoning of all unwholesome states?” “The Tathāgata, great king, has abandoned all unwholesome states and he possesses wholesome states.”833
14. “Now, venerable Ānanda, what kind of bodily behaviour is uncensured by wise recluses and brahmins?”
“Any bodily behaviour that is wholesome, great king.”
“Now, venerable Ānanda, what kind of bodily behaviour is wholesome?”
“Any bodily behaviour that is blameless, great king.”
“Now, venerable Ānanda, what kind of bodily behaviour is blameless?”
“Any bodily behaviour that does not bring affliction, great king.”
“Now, venerable Ānanda, what kind of bodily behaviour does not bring affliction?”
“Any bodily behaviour that has pleasant results, great king.”
“Now, venerable Ānanda, what kind of bodily behaviour has pleasant results?”
“Any bodily behaviour, great king, that does not lead to one’s own affliction, or to the affliction of others, or to the affliction of both, and on account of which unwholesome states diminish and wholesome states increase. Such bodily behaviour, great king, is uncensured by wise recluses and brahmins.”
15. “Now, venerable Ānanda, what kind of verbal behaviour is uncensured by wise recluses and brahmins?”
“Any verbal behaviour that is wholesome...(complete as in §14, substituting “verbal behaviour” for “bodily behaviour”)…”
16. “Now, venerable Ānanda, what kind of mental behaviour is uncensured by wise recluses and brahmins?” “Any mental behaviour that is wholesome...(complete as in §14, substituting “mental behaviour” for “bodily behaviour”) [116]…”
17. “Now, venerable Ānanda, does the Blessed One praise only the undertaking of all wholesome states?”
“The Tathāgata, great king, has abandoned all unwholesome states and possesses wholesome states.”
18. “It is wonderful, venerable sir, it is marvellous how well that has been expressed by the venerable Ānanda! And we are satisfied and pleased by what has been so well expressed by him. Venerable sir, we are so satisfied and pleased with what has been so well expressed by the venerable Ānanda that if the elephant-treasure were allowed to him, we would give it to him; if the horse-treasure were allowed to him, we would give it to him; if the boon of a village were allowed to him, we would give it to him. But we know, venerable sir, that these are not allowable for the venerable Ānanda. But there is this cloak of mine,834 venerable sir, which was sent to me packed in a royal umbrella case by King Ajātasattu of Magadha, sixteen hands long and eight hands wide. Let the venerable Ānanda accept it out of compassion.”
“It is not necessary, great king. My triple robe is complete.” [117]
19. “Venerable sir, this river Aciravatī has been seen both by the venerable Ānanda and by ourselves when a great cloud has rained heavily on the mountains; then this river Aciravatī overflows both its banks. So too, venerable sir, the venerable Ānanda can make a triple robe for himself out of this cloak, and he can share out his old triple robe among his companions in the holy life. In this way, our offering will overflow. Venerable sir, let the venerable Ānanda accept the cloak.”
20. The venerable Ānanda accepted the cloak. Then King Pasenadi of Kosala said: “And now, venerable sir, we depart. We are busy and have much to do.”
“You may go, great king, at your own convenience.”
Then King Pasenadi of Kosala, having delighted and rejoiced in the venerable Ānanda’s words, rose from his seat, and after paying homage to the venerable Ānanda, keeping him on his right, he departed.
21. Then soon after he had left, the venerable Ānanda went to the Blessed One, and after paying homage to him, he sat down at one side, related to him his entire conversation with King Pasenadi of Kosala, and presented the cloak to the Blessed One.
22. Then the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus: “It is a gain, bhikkhus, for King Pasenadi of Kosala, it is a great gain for King Pasenadi of Kosala that he has had the opportunity of seeing and paying respect to Ānanda.”
That is what the Blessed One said. The bhikkhus were satisfied and delighted in the Blessed One’s words.
Dhammacetiya Sutta
Monuments to the Dhamma
[118] 1. THUS HAVE I HEARD. On one occasion the Blessed One was liv
ing in the Sakyan country where there was a town of the Sakyans named Medaḷumpa.
2. Now on that occasion King Pasenadi of Kosala had arrived at Nagaraka for some business or other. Then he addressed Dīgha Kārāyaṇa:835 “Dear Kārāyaṇa, have the state carriages prepared. Let us go to the pleasure garden to see a pleasing spot.”
“Yes, sire,” Dīgha Kārāyaṇa replied. When the state carriages were prepared, he informed the king: “Sire, the state carriages are ready for you. You may go at your own convenience.”
3. Then King Pasenadi mounted a state carriage, and accompanied by the other carriages, he drove out from Nagaraka with the full pomp of royalty and proceeded towards the park. He went thus as far as the road was passable for carriages and then dismounted from his carriage and entered the park on foot.
4. As he walked and wandered in the park for exercise, King Pasenadi saw roots of trees that were lovely and inspiring, quiet and undisturbed by voices, with an atmosphere of seclusion, remote from people, favourable for retreat. The sight of these reminded him of the Blessed One thus: “These roots of trees are lovely and inspiring, quiet and undisturbed by voices, with an atmosphere of seclusion, remote from people, favourable for retreat, like the places where we used to pay respect to the Blessed One, accomplished and fully enlightened.” Then he told Dīgha Kārāyaṇa what he had thought and asked: “Where is he living now, [119] the Blessed One, accomplished and fully enlightened?”
5. “There is, sire, a town of the Sakyans named Medaḷumpa. The Blessed One, accomplished and fully enlightened, is now living there.”
“How far is it from Nagaraka to Medaḷumpa?”
“It is not far, sire, three leagues.836 There is still daylight enough to go there.”
“Then, dear Kārāyaṇa, have the state carriages prepared. Let us go and see the Blessed One, accomplished and fully enlightened.”
“Yes, sire,” he replied. When the state carriages were prepared, he informed the king: “Sire, the state carriages are ready for you. You may go at your own convenience.”
6. Then King Pasenadi mounted a state carriage, and accompanied by the other carriages, set out from Nagaraka towards the Sakyan town of Medaḷumpa. He arrived there while it was still daylight and proceeded towards the park. He went thus as far as the road was passable for carriages, and then he dismounted from his carriage and entered the park on foot.
7. Now on that occasion a number of bhikkhus were walking up and down in the open. Then King Pasenadi went to them and asked: “Venerable sirs, where is he living now, the Blessed One, accomplished and fully enlightened? We want to see the Blessed One, accomplished and fully enlightened.”
8. “That is his dwelling, great king, with the closed door. Go up to it quietly, without hurrying, enter the porch, clear your throat, and tap on the panel. The Blessed One will open the door for you.” King Pasenadi handed over his sword and turban to Dīgha Kārāyaṇa then and there. Then Dīgha Kārāyaṇa thought: “So the king is going into secret session now! And I have to wait here alone now!”837 Without hurrying, King Pasenadi went quietly up to the dwelling with the closed door, entered the porch, cleared his throat, and tapped on the panel. The Blessed One opened the door.
9. Then King Pasenadi [120] entered the dwelling. Prostrating himself with his head at the Blessed One’s feet, he covered the Blessed One’s feet with kisses and caressed them with his hands, pronouncing his name: “I am King Pasenadi of Kosala, venerable sir; I am King Pasenadi of Kosala, venerable sir.”
“But, great king, what reason do you see for doing such supreme honour to this body and for showing such friendship?”
10. “Venerable sir, I infer according to Dhamma about the Blessed One: ‘The Blessed One is fully enlightened, the Dhamma is well proclaimed by the Blessed One, the Sangha of the Blessed One’s disciples is practising the good way.’ Now, venerable sir, I see some recluses and brahmins leading a limited holy life for ten years, twenty years, thirty years, or forty years, and then on a later occasion I see them well groomed and well anointed, with trimmed hair and beards, enjoying themselves provided and endowed with the five cords of sensual pleasure. But here I see bhikkhus leading the perfect and pure holy life as long as life and breath last. Indeed, I do not see any other holy life elsewhere as perfect and pure as this. This is why, venerable sir, I infer according to Dhamma about the Blessed One: ‘The Blessed One is fully enlightened, the Dhamma is well proclaimed by the Blessed One, the Sangha of the Blessed One’s disciples is practising the good way.’
11. “Again, venerable sir, kings quarrel with kings, nobles with nobles, brahmins with brahmins, householders with householders; mother quarrels with son, son with mother, father with son, son with father; brother quarrels with brother, brother with sister, sister with brother, friend with friend.838 But here I see bhikkhus living in concord, with mutual appreciation, without disputing, blending like milk and water, [121] viewing each other with kindly eyes. I do not see any other assembly elsewhere with such concord. This too, venerable sir, is why I infer according to Dhamma about the Blessed One: ‘The Blessed One is fully enlightened, the Dhamma is well proclaimed by the Blessed One, the Sangha of the Blessed One’s disciples is practising the good way.’
12. “Again, venerable sir, I have walked and wandered from park to park and from garden to garden. There I have seen some recluses and brahmins who are lean, wretched, unsightly, jaundiced, with veins standing out on their limbs, such that people would not want to look at them again. I have thought: ‘Surely these venerable ones are leading the holy life in discontent, or they have done some evil deed and are concealing it, so lean and wretched are they…such that people would not want to look at them again.’ I went up to them and asked: ‘Why are you venerable ones so lean and wretched…such that people would not want to look at you again?’ Their reply was: ‘It is our family sickness, great king.’ But here I see bhikkhus smiling and cheerful, sincerely joyful, plainly delighting, their faculties fresh, living at ease, unruffled, subsisting on what others give, abiding with mind [as aloof] as a wild deer’s. I have thought: ‘Surely these venerable ones perceive successive states of lofty distinction in the Blessed One’s Dispensation, since they abide thus smiling and cheerful…with mind [as aloof] as a wild deer’s.’ This too, venerable sir, is why I infer according to Dhamma about the Blessed One: ‘The Blessed One is fully enlightened, the Dhamma is well proclaimed by the Blessed One, the Sangha of the Blessed One’s disciples is practising the good way.’
13. “Again, venerable sir, being a head-anointed noble king, [122] I am able to have executed those who should be executed, to fine those who should be fined, to exile those who should be exiled. Yet when I am sitting in council, they break in and interrupt me. Though I say: ‘Gentlemen, do not break in and interrupt me when I am sitting in council; wait till the end of my speech,’ still they break in and interrupt me. But here I see bhikkhus while the Blessed One is teaching the Dhamma839 to an assembly of several hundred followers and then there is not even the sound of a disciple of the Blessed One coughing or clearing his throat. Once the Blessed One was teaching the Dhamma to an assembly of several hundred followers and there a disciple of his cleared his throat. Thereupon one of his companions in the holy life nudged him with his knee to indicate: ‘Be quiet, venerable sir, make no noise; the Blessed One, the Teacher, is teaching us the Dhamma.’ I thought: ‘It is wonderful, it is marvellous how an assembly can be so well disciplined without force or weapon!’ Indeed, I do not see any other assembly elsewhere so well disciplined. This too, venerable sir, is why I infer according to Dhamma about the Blessed One: ‘The Blessed One is fully enlightened, the Dhamma is well proclaimed by the Blessed One, the Sangha of the Blessed One’s disciples is practising the good way.’
14. “Again, venerable sir, I have seen here certain learned nobles who were clever, knowledgeable about the doctrines of others, as sharp as hairsplitting marksmen;840 they wander about, as it were, demolishing the
views of others with their sharp wits. When they hear: ‘The recluse Gotama will visit such and such a village or town,’ they formulate a question thus: ‘We will go to the recluse Gotama and ask him this question. If he is asked like this, he will answer like this, and so we will refute his doctrine in this way; and if he is asked like that, he will answer like that, and so we will refute his doctrine in that way.’ They hear: ‘The recluse Gotama has come to visit such and such a village or town.’ They go to the Blessed One, and the Blessed One instructs, urges, rouses, [123] and gladdens them with a talk on the Dhamma. After they have been instructed, urged, roused, and gladdened by the Blessed One with a talk on the Dhamma, they do not so much as ask him the question, so how should they refute his doctrine? In actual fact, they become his disciples. This too, venerable sir, is why I infer according to Dhamma about the Blessed One: ‘The Blessed One is fully enlightened, the Dhamma is well proclaimed by the Blessed One, the Sangha of the Blessed One’s disciples is practising the good way.’
The Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha Page 80
