When this was said, the venerable Ānanda told the bhikkhus: “Friends, Tathāgatas are wonderful and have wonderful qualities. Tathāgatas are marvellous and have marvellous qualities.” [119]
However, their discussion was interrupted; for the Blessed One rose from meditation when it was evening, went to the assembly hall, and sat down on a seat made ready. Then he addressed the bhikkhus thus: “Bhikkhus, for what discussion are you sitting together here now? And what was your discussion that was interrupted?”
“Here, venerable sir, we were sitting in the assembly hall, where we had met together on returning from our almsround, after our meal, when this discussion arose among us: ‘It is wonderful, friends, it is marvellous…their deliverance was thus.’ When this was said, venerable sir, the venerable Ānanda said to us: ‘Friends, Tathāgatas are wonderful and have wonderful qualities. Tathāgatas are marvellous and have marvellous qualities.’
This was our discussion, venerable sir, that was interrupted when the Blessed One arrived.”
Then the Blessed One addressed the venerable Ānanda: “That being so, Ānanda, explain more fully the Tathāgata’s wonderful and marvellous qualities.”
3. “I heard and learned this, venerable sir, from the Blessed One’s own lips: ‘Mindful and fully aware, Ānanda, the Bodhisatta appeared in the Tusita heaven.’1161 That [120] mindful and fully aware the Bodhisatta appeared in the Tusita heaven—this I remember as a wonderful and marvellous quality of the Blessed One.
4. “I heard and learned this from the Blessed One’s own lips: ‘Mindful and fully aware the Bodhisatta remained in the Tusita heaven.’ This too I remember as a wonderful and marvellous quality of the Blessed One.
5. “I heard and learned this from the Blessed One’s own lips: ‘For the whole of his life-span the Bodhisatta remained in the Tusita heaven.’ This too I remember as a wonderful and marvellous quality of the Blessed One.
6. “I heard and learned this from the Blessed One’s own lips: ‘Mindful and fully aware the Bodhisatta passed away from the Tusita heaven and descended into his mother’s womb.’ This too I remember as a wonderful and marvello us quality of the Blessed One.
7. “I heard and learned this from the Blessed One’s own lips: ‘When the Bodhisatta passed away from the Tusita heaven and descended into his mother’s womb, then a great immeasurable light surpassing the splendour of the gods appeared in the world with its gods, its Māras, and its Brahmās, in this generation with its recluses and brahmins, with its princes and its people. And even in those abysmal world interspaces of vacancy, gloom, and utter darkness, where the moon and the sun, mighty and powerful as they are, cannot make their light prevail—there too a great immeasurable light surpassing the splendour of the gods appeared.1162 And the beings reborn there perceived each other by that light: “So indeed, sir, there are other beings reborn here!” And this ten-thousandfold world system shook and quaked and trembled, and there too a great immeasurable light surpassing the splendour of the gods appeared.’ This too I remember as a wonderful and marvellous quality of the Blessed One.
8. “I heard and learned this from the Blessed One’s own lips: ‘When the Bodhisatta had descended into his mother’s womb, four young deities came to guard him at the four quarters so that no humans or non-humans or anyone at all could harm the Bodhisatta or his mother.’1163 This too I remember as a wonderful and marvellous quality of the Blessed One.
9. “I heard and learned this from the Blessed One’s own lips: ‘When the Bodhisatta had descended into his mother’s womb, she became intrinsically virtuous, refraining from killing living beings, from taking what is not given, from misconduct in sensual pleasures, from false speech, and from wines, liquors, and intoxicants, which are the basis of negligence.’ This too I remember as a wonderful and marvellous quality of the Blessed One. [121]
10. “I heard and learned this from the Blessed One’s own lips: ‘When the Bodhisatta had descended into his mother’s womb, no sensual thought arose in her concerning men, and she was inaccessible to any man having a lustful mind.’ This too I remember as a wonderful and marvellous quality of the Blessed One.
11. “I heard and learned this from the Blessed One’s own lips: ‘When the Bodhisatta had descended into his mother’s womb, she obtained the five cords of sensual pleasure, and furnished and endowed with them, she enjoyed herself with them.’ This too I remember as a wonderful and marvellous quality of the Blessed One.
12. “I heard and learned this from the Blessed One’s own lips: ‘When the Bodhisatta had descended into his mother’s womb, no kind of affliction arose in her; she was blissful and free from bodily fatigue. She saw the Bodhisatta within her womb with all his limbs, lacking no faculty. Suppose a blue, yellow, red, white, or brown thread were strung through a fine beryl gem of purest water, eight-faceted, well cut, and a man with good sight were to take it in his hand and review it thus: “This is a fine beryl gem of purest water, eight-faceted, well cut, and through it is strung a blue, yellow, red, white, or brown thread”; so too when the Bodhisatta had descended into his mother’s womb…she saw the Bodhisatta within her womb with all his limbs, lacking no faculty.’ This too I remember as a wonderful and marvellous quality of the Blessed One. [122]
13. “I heard and learned this from the Blessed One’s own lips: ‘Seven days after the birth of the Bodhisatta, his mother died and reappeared in the Tusita heaven.’1164 This too I remember as a wonderful and marvellous quality of the Blessed One.
14. “I heard and learned this from the Blessed One’s own lips: ‘Other women give birth after carrying the child in the womb for nine or ten months, but not so the Bodhisatta’s mother. The Bodhisatta’s mother gave birth to him after carrying him in her womb for exactly ten months.’ This too I remember as a wonderful and marvellous quality of the Blessed One.
15. “I heard and learned this from the Blessed One’s own lips: ‘Other women give birth seated or lying down, but not so the Bodhisatta’s mother. The Bodhisatta’s mother gave birth to him standing up.’ This too I remember as a wonderful and marvellous quality of the Blessed One.
16. “I heard and learned this from the Blessed One’s own lips: ‘When the Bodhisatta came forth from his mother’s womb, first gods received him, then human beings.’ This too I remember as a wonderful and marvellous quality of the Blessed One.
17. “I heard and learned this from the Blessed One’s own lips: ‘When the Bodhisatta came forth from his mother’s womb, he did not touch the earth. The four young gods received him and set him before his mother saying: “Rejoice, O queen, a son of great power has been born to you.”’ This too I remember as a wonderful and marvellous quality of the Blessed One.
18. “I heard and learned this from the Blessed One’s own lips: ‘When the Bodhisatta came forth from his mother’s womb, he came forth unsullied, unsmeared [123] by water or humours or blood or any kind of impurity, clean, and unsullied. Suppose there were a gem placed on Kāsi cloth, then the gem would not smear the cloth or the cloth the gem. Why is that? Because of the purity of both. So too when the Bodhisatta came forth…clean and unsullied.’ This too I remember as a wonderful and marvellous quality of the Blessed One.
19. “I heard and learned this from the Blessed One’s own lips : ‘When the Bodhisatta came forth from his mother’s womb, two jets of water appeared to pour from the sky, one cool and one warm, for bathing the Bodhisatta and his mother.’ This too I remember as a wonderful and marvellous quality of the Blessed One.
20. “I heard and learned this from the Blessed One’s own lips: ‘As soon as the Bodhisatta was born, he stood firmly with his feet on the ground; then he took seven steps facing north, and with a white parasol held over him, he surveyed each quarter and uttered the words of the Leader of the Herd: “I am the highest in the world; I am the best in the world; I am the foremost in the world. This is my last birth; now there is no renewal of being for me.”’1165 This too I remember as a wonderful and marvellous quality
of the Blessed One.
21. “I heard and learned this from the Blessed One’s own lips: ‘When the Bodhisatta came forth from his mother’s womb, then a great immeasurable light surpassing the splendour of the gods appeared in the world with its gods, its Māras, and its Brahmās, in this generation with its recluses and brahmins, with its princes and its people. And even in those abysmal world interspaces of vacancy, gloom, and utter darkness, where the moon and the sun, mighty and powerful as they are, cannot make their light prevail—[124] there too a great immeasurable light surpassing the splendour of the gods appeared. And the beings reborn there perceived each other by that light: “So indeed, sir, there are other beings reborn here!” And this ten-thousandfold world system shook and quaked and trembled, and there too a great immeasurable light surpassing the splendour of the gods appeared.’ That when the Bodhisatta came forth from his mother’s womb, then a great immeasurable light surpassing the splendour of the gods appeared…this too I remember as a wonderful and marvellous quality of the Blessed One.”
22. “That being so, Ānanda, remember this too as a wonderful and marvellous quality of the Tathāgata: Here, Ānanda, for the Tathāgata feelings are known as they arise, as they are present, as they disappear; perceptions are known as they arise, as they are present, as they disappear; thoughts are known as they arise, as they are present, as they disappear.1166 Remember this too, Ānanda, as a wonderful and marvellous quality of the Tathāgata.”
23. “Venerable sir, since for the Blessed One feelings are known as they arise, as they are present, as they disappear; perceptions are known as they arise, as they are present, as they disappear; thoughts are known as they arise, as they are present, as they disappear—this too I remember as a wonderful and marvellous quality of the Blessed One.”
That is what the venerable Ānanda said. The Teacher approved. The bhikkhus were satisfied and delighted in the venerable Ānanda’s words.
Bakkula Sutta
Bakkula
1. THUS HAVE I HEARD. On one occasion the venerable Bakkula was living at Rājagaha in the Bamboo Grove, the Squirrels’ Sanctuary.1167
2. Then Acela Kassapa, a former companion of the venerable Bakkula in his lay life, [125] went to the venerable Bakkula and exchanged greetings with him. When this courteous and amiable talk was finished, he sat down at one side and asked the venerable Bakkula:
3. “Friend Bakkula, how long is it since you went forth?”
“It is eighty years since I went forth, friend.”
“Friend Bakkula, in these eighty years how many times have you engaged in sexual intercourse?”
“Friend Kassapa, you should not ask me such a question as that. You should ask me such a question as this: ‘Friend Bakkula, in these eighty years how many times have perceptions of sensual desire arisen in you?’”
“Friend Bakkula, in these eighty years how many times have perceptions of sensual desire arisen in you?”
“Friend Kassapa, in the eighty years since I went forth I do not recall any perception of sensual desire to have ever arisen in me.”
[That in the eighty years since he went forth the venerable Bakkula did not recall any perception of sensual desire to have ever arisen in him—this we remember as a wonderful and marvellous quality of the venerable Bakkula.]1168
4–5. “Friend, in the eighty years since I went forth I do not recall any perception of ill will…any perception of cruelty to have ever arisen in me.”
[That in the eighty years since he went forth the venerable Bakkula did not recall any perception of ill will… any perception of cruelty to have ever arisen in him— this we remember as a wonderful and marvellous quality of the venerable Bakkula.]
6. “Friend, in the eighty years since I went forth I do not recall any thought of sensual desire to have ever arisen in me.”
[…this too we remember as a wonderful and marvellous quality of the venerable Bakkula.]
7–8. “Friend, in the eighty years since I went forth I do not recall any thought of ill will…any thought of cruelty to have ever arisen in me.”
[…this too we remember as a wonderful and marvellous quality of the venerable Bakkula.] [126]
9–15. “Friend, in the eighty years since I went forth I do not recall ever having accepted a robe from a householder1169...ever having worn a robe given by a householder…ever having cut a robe with a cutter…ever having sewn a robe with a needle… ever having coloured a robe with dye…ever having sewn a robe at the kaṭhina time…ever having worked on making robes for my companions in the holy life.”
[…this too we remember as a wonderful and marvellous quality of the venerable Bakkula.]
16–19. “Friend, in the eighty years since I went forth I do not recall ever having accepted an invitation to a meal…ever having given rise to the thought: ‘Oh, may someone invite me to a meal!’…ever having sat down inside a house…ever having eaten inside a house.”
[…this too we remember as a wonderful and marvellous quality of the venerable Bakkula.]
20–25. “Friend, in the eighty years since I went forth I do not recall ever having grasped at the signs and features of a woman...ever having taught the Dhamma to a woman, even as much as a four-line stanza…ever having gone to the bhikkhunīs’ quarters…ever having taught the Dhamma to a bhikkhunī... ever having taught the Dhamma to a female probationer…ever having taught the Dhamma to a female novice.”
[…this too we remember as a wonderful and marvellous quality of the venerable Bakkula.]
26–29. “Friend, in the eighty years since I went forth I do not recall ever having given the going forth…ever having given the full admission…ever having given dependence…ever having had a novice wait on me.”
[…this too we remember as a wonderful and marvellous quality of the venerable Bakkula.]
30–37. “Friend, in the eighty years since I went forth I do not recall ever having bathed in a bath house…ever having bathed with bath powder…ever having undertaking the work of massaging the limbs of my companions in the holy life [127]…ever having had an affliction arise in me even for as long as it takes to milk a cow…ever having carried medicine around, even as much as a piece of gallnut…ever having used a bolster…ever having made up a bed…ever having entered upon residence for the Rains in a resting place inside a village.”
[…this too we remember as a wonderful and marvellous quality of the venerable Bakkula.]
38. “Friend, for seven days after going forth I ate the country’s almsfood as a debtor; on the eighth day final knowledge arose.”1170
[That for seven days the venerable Bakkula ate the country’s almsfood as a debtor, and on the eighth day final knowledge arose—this too we remember as a wonderful and marvellous quality of the venerable Bakkula.]
39. [Then Acela Kassapa said:] “I would receive the going forth in this Dhamma and Discipline, I would receive the full admission.” And Acela Kassapa received the going forth in this Dhamma and Discipline, he received the full admission.1171 And soon, not long after his full admission, dwelling alone, withdrawn, diligent, ardent, and resolute, the venerable Kassapa, by realising for himself with direct knowledge, here and now entered upon and abided in that supreme goal of the holy life for the sake of which clansmen rightly go forth from the home life into homelessness. He knew directly: “Birth is destroyed, the holy life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more coming to any state of being.” And the venerable Kassapa became one of the arahants.
40. Then, on a later occasion, the venerable Bakkula took a key and went from dwelling to dwelling, saying: “Come forth, venerable sirs; come forth, venerable sirs. Today I shall attain final Nibbāna.”
[That the venerable Bakkula took a key and went from dwelling to dwelling saying: “Come forth, venerable sirs; come forth, venerable sirs. Today I shall attain final Nibbāna”—this too we remember as a wonderful and marvellous quality of the venerable Bakkula.] [128]
41. Th
en, seated in the midst of the Sangha of bhikkhus, the venerable Bakkula attained final Nibb̄na.1172
[That seated in the midst of the Sangha of bhikkhus, the venerable Bakkula attained final Nibbāna—this too we remember as a wonderful and marvellous quality of the venerable Bakkula.] 1173
Dantabhūmi Sutta
The Grade of the Tamed
1. THUS HAVE I HEARD. On one occasion the Blessed One was living at Rājagaha in the Bamboo Grove, the Squirrels’ Sanctuary.
The Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha Page 108
