by Andy Rotman
Thus addressed, those two cats came out of their stūpas, and many hundreds and thousands of beings saw them. [573] Then the two cats took those bits of meat, circumambulated their respective stupas, and entered their respective holes.
“Did my lord see that?” the two evil ministers asked.
“I saw it,” the king said.
“My lord, there are no arhats in this world. It’s only people’s empty talk.”
The king’s view that there were arhats in the world immediately disappeared. Those who were nonbelievers developed a false view. Those who stood between nonbelief and belief had doubt. And those who were believers were stunned,1105 dejected, and suspicious.1106
King Śikhaṇḍin reflected, “If there are no arhats in the world, why should I give alms to the noble Mahākātyāyana1107 and the five hundred members of his retinue, and to the nun Śailā and the five hundred members of her retinue?” So he stopped giving alms to the monks and nuns, and the monks and nuns left Roruka. But the venerable Mahākātyāyana and the nun Śailā stayed there in accordance with the rules of the monastic discipline.1108
After some time, King Śikhaṇḍin left the city of Roruka just as the venerable Mahākātyāyana was entering it for alms. The venerable Mahākātyāyana saw the king and then stepped off to one side and waited. “May he not refute his faith!” he thought.
King Śikhaṇḍin saw him standing off to one side, and upon seeing him, he said, “Gentlemen, why does the noble Mahākātyāyana, having seen me, step off to one side and wait?”
Following behind the king were the chief ministers Hiru and Bhiru. “My lord,” they said, “the noble Mahākātyāyana must be thinking that the lord proceeds after performing auspicious rituals and benedictions for a safe journey; that he shouldn’t experience a loss of faith; and that since the work of dyeing [robes] is difficult,1109 the lord shouldn’t splatter1110 his robes with dirt.”1111
The king stood silently.
The venerable Mahākātyāyana then continued wandering for alms in the city of Roruka. Just as he was leaving, King Śikhaṇḍin was entering. Just as before, the venerable Mahākātyāyana stepped off to one side.
“Gentlemen,” King Śikhaṇḍin said, “when the noble Mahākātyāyana saw me before, he stepped off to one side and waited, and now [he does the same]. What is the reason for this?”
Following behind the king were the two evil ministers. “My lord,” they said, “Mahākātyāyana said, [574] ‘Let me not go forth [soiled] with the dirt of this father-killer!’”1112
Being indiscriminate, the king became furious when he heard this. “Gentlemen,” he said, “whoever holds me dear should throw a handful of dirt on that shaven-headed ascetic!”
All of the people there threw a handful of dirt. Since the king had a great army, and each and every person threw a single handful of dirt on the venerable Mahākātyāyana, a huge pile of dirt was amassed on top of him.1113 The venerable Mahākātyāyana, however, had magically created a hut of leaves for himself where he remained. The cowherds and shepherds saw that the venerable Mahākātyāyana was buried and, being alert,1114 gathered around him. The chief ministers Hiru and Bhiru, who had been lagging behind the king, then arrived there.
“Gentlemen,” they asked, “what is this?”
“This evil king who killed his father,” they said, “has buried the noble Mahākātyāyana, who does no wrong and causes no harm,1115 under a pile of dirt.”
With lumps in their throats and faces streaked with tears, the two of them, along with the cowherders and shepherds, began to remove the dirt. Then the venerable Mahākātyāyana emerged. Hiru and Bhiru fell prostrate at his feet and asked, “Noble sir, what is this?”
“What else could have happened?”1116 he said.
“Noble one,” the two of them said, “Śikhaṇḍin has perpetrated this deed upon Mahākātyāyana1117 with the help of the people. What will come of this?”1118
“Seven days from now the city of Roruka will be buried under a pile of dirt.”
“Noble one, what will be the sequence of events?”
“Venerable ones, on the first day a great wind will come that will clear the city of Roruka of stones, pebbles, and gravel. On the second day, a rain of flowers will fall. On the third, a rain of fine clothes. On the fourth, a rain of silver.1119 On the fifth, a rain of gold. Then all those who live in the vicinity of Roruka who performed this collective deed will enter the city. After they enter, on the sixth day, a rain of diamonds will fall. And on the seventh day, there will be a rain of dirt.”
“Noble one,” the two chief ministers said, “are we to share in this karma?”
“My friends, you two won’t share in this karma.”
“Noble one, if that’s the case, how can we get out of the city?”
“You should dig an underground channel from your home to the river and keep a boat stored near your house,” he said. [575] “When the rain of diamonds falls, fill the boat with them and escape.”
The two chief ministers fell prostrate at his feet and then entered Roruka. They went before the king and said, “Has my lord done anything to the noble Mahākātyāyana? Why was he buried under a pile of dirt?”1120
“Gentlemen,” the king said, “is he alive?”
“He is alive, my lord.”
“What does he say?”
“My lord, this is what he says—‘Seven days from now the city of Roruka will be buried under a pile of dirt.’”
“What does he say will be the sequence of events?”1121
“My lord, this is what he says:
On the first day a great wind will come that will clear the city of Roruka of stones, pebbles, and gravel. On the second day, a rain of flowers will fall. On the third day, a rain of fine clothes. On the fourth, a rain of silver. On the fifth, a rain of gold. Then all those who live in the vicinity of Roruka who performed this collective deed will enter the city. After they enter, on the sixth day, a rain of diamonds will fall. And on the seventh day, there will be a rain of dirt.”1122
The two evil ministers said, “What else would someone say who no longer receives alms and was buried under a rain of dirt? Or perhaps he is saying that this evil deed comes from the lord himself!”1123
“That may be so,” King Śikhaṇḍin reflected.
The chief ministers Hiru and Bhiru both made faces, wrung their hands in despair, and departed.
Now poor Hiru had a boy, a son named Śyāmāka (Dark One), and poor Bhiru had a daughter, a girl named Śyāmāvatī (Dusky). Hiru presented the boy Śyāmāka to the venerable Mahākātyāyana and said, “Noble one, if he has any roots of virtue, then initiate him. If not, let him be your personal attendant.”
Bhiru likewise presented his daughter Śyāmāvatī to the nun Śailā and said, “Noble one, if she has any roots of virtue, then initiate her. If not, in Kauśāmbī there is a householder named Ghoṣila (Renowned) who is a friend of mine. [576] Hand her over to him.”
The nun Śailā agreed. She then took Śyāmāvatī and, making use of her magical powers, left Roruka. In Kauśāmbī, she gave her to the householder Ghoṣila1124 and explained the situation as she had been instructed.
The venerable Mahākātyāyana, however, stayed right where he was. The chief ministers Hiru and Bhiru dug an underground channel between their homes and the river and placed a boat nearby. Then, one day, a great wind came that cleared the city of Roruka of stones, pebbles, and gravel. On the second day, a rain of flowers fell.
“My lord,” the two evil ministers said, “it is heard that on behalf of King Māndhātā a rain of gold fell for seven days.1125 This rain of flowers has fallen for my lord. Soon a rain of fine clothes will fall.”
On the third day a rain of fine clothes fell.
“This rain of fine clothes has fallen for my lord,” the two evil ministers said. “Soon a rain of silver will fall.”
On the fourth day a rain of silver fell.
“This rain of silver has fallen for my lord
,” the two evil ministers said. “Soon a rain of gold will fall.”
On the fifth day a rain of gold fell.
“This rain of gold has fallen for my lord,” the two evil ministers said. “Soon a rain of diamonds will fall.”
Then1126 those who lived in the vicinity of Roruka who had performed that collective deed entered the city of Roruka. After they entered, on the sixth day, a rain of diamonds fell. The chief ministers Hiru and Bhiru filled their boat with them and fled.
In one region, Hiru1127 founded a city name Hirukam. It came to be known as Hirukam.1128 In another region, Bhiru founded a city called Bhiruka. It came to be known as Bhirukaccha.1129
On the seventh day, a rain of dirt began to fall. Nonhumans blocked the gates to the city.1130
“Noble one,” Śyāmāka said, “what is all this noise and commotion?”
“Son,” the venerable Mahākātyāyana said, “hold a brass bowl out the window and then retrieve it.”1131
So he held a brass bowl1132 out the window and then retrieved it. It was filled up halfway with dirt.1133 [577]
The venerable Mahākātyāyana reflected, “There is still some room left.”1134 A short while later he held it out again; it was heaped full.1135 Then he reflected, “Now there’s no room left.1136 It’s time to go.”
Then the guardian deity of Roruka approached the venerable Mahākātyāyana and, having approached, venerated his feet and said, “Noble one, I will come with you. I will serve the noble one.” The venerable Mahākātyāyana consented.
“Son,” the venerable Mahākātyāyana said to Śyāmāka, “take hold of the edge of my robe. Let’s go.”
Śyāmāka took hold of the edge of his robe, and then making use of his magical powers, the venerable Mahākātyāyana set off up into the sky with Śyāmāka in tow. The guardian deity of Roruka, making use of her own magical powers, followed close behind them. Soon the city of Roruka was buried under a pile of dirt.
In due course they arrived at a market town called Khara,1137 and there they stayed in a granary.1138 The venerable Mahākātyāyana left Śyāmāka at the granary and entered the town for alms.1139 As a result of the divine power of the deity [from Roruka], the grain in the granary began to increase. A man staying there saw Śyāmāka, then approached him and said, “Boy, as a result of your power, the grain in this granary is increasing!”
“It isn’t a result of my power that the grain in this granary is increasing,” Śyāmāka said. “It’s because the guardian deity of Roruka has come here and now stays in this place. It’s because of her power that the grain in the granary increases.”
The man approached the deity, fell prostrate at her feet, and said, “Deity, I’m going to my village. Hold on to this lock and key1140 until I return. Don’t give them to anyone except me.” The deity accepted them.1141
The man went into town, gathered together the town’s residents, and said, “Friends, the guardian deity from Roruka has come here and now stays in the granary. As a result of her power, the grain at the granary increases. I have placed in her hands a lock and key and [said],1142 ‘Deity, I’m going to my village. Hold on to this lock and key until I return. Don’t give them to anyone except me.’ I now have a deal for all of you: [578] If you appoint my son as guildmaster, I’ll commit suicide. Then the deity will never leave town, your life’s pleasures will increase, and all disasters will be averted.”
The town’s residents appointed the man’s son as guildmaster, and the man committed suicide. The town’s residents then made1143 the entire town beautiful with scents and flowers, as well as with umbrellas, flags, and banners, and then took an offering and approached the deity. Having approached, [the new guildmaster] fell prostrate at her feet and said, “Deity, please settle down here.1144 Please stay!”
“There is no place for me here. I am the personal attendant of the noble Mahākātyāyana.”
“Deity,” the venerable Mahākātyāyana said,1145 “focus your attention on the person from whom you received the lock and key.” She began to focus her attention and saw that that person had died.
“Gentlemen,” she said to the town’s residents, “I will stay on one condition—construct an altar for the noble one just as you did for me.”1146
They agreed. The town’s residents constructed an altar for the noble Mahākātyāyana just as they had for the deity. Then the deity took the lamp that had been set out for her in town and placed it on the altar for the venerable Mahākātyāyana.1147 A man standing on a protective wall1148 saw her take the lamp and go by. He reflected, “This deity that goes by must be the noble Mahākātyāyana’s mistress.”
The deity read the man’s mind and was furious. “The residents of this market town entertain evil thoughts. They slander the noble Mahākātyāyana, who is virtuous1149 and who is never satisfied with the merit he has earned.”
The deity then1150 spread a plague in that market town, and many people died. As the dead were being brought out on all sorts of funeral biers, they began to get tangled together.1151 The town’s residents summoned soothsayers and asked, “What is this?”
“It’s the wrath of the deity,” the soothsayers said.
The town’s residents began to beg the deity for forgiveness.
“You dishonor the noble Mahākātyāyana, who is virtuous,” the deity said.
“Forgive us, deity,” they said. “No one will dishonor him again.”
“I will forgive you on one condition,” she said. “Honor the noble Mahākātyāyana just as you honored me.”1152 [579]
“Forgive us, deity,” they said. “We’ll act in a more respectful manner.”
The deity forgave them,1153 and they in turn honored the venerable Mahākātyāyana in a more respectful manner.
After passing the rainy season there, the venerable Mahākātyāyana took Śyāmāka, bid farewell to the deity, and prepared to set off.
“Noble one,” the deity said, “give me some token so that I can stay here and still serve you.”
He gave her that brass bowl.1154 The deity put it down1155 and right there established a stūpa and initiated a festival. It came to be known as Kāṃśimaha (Brass Bowl Festival).1156 Even today monks who venerate shrines venerate it.
Śyāmāka clung to the edge of the venerable Mahākātyāyana’s robe, and as he was hanging there, cowherders and cattleherders saw him. “Someone is hanging! Someone is hanging!” they shouted. And so the people in that place came to be known as the Lambakapāla (Hanging Herders).1157
Then the venerable Mahākātyāyana arrived at another market town. Leaving Śyāmāka at the base of a tree, he entered the town for alms. In that market town, the king had died without a son, so the townspeople and villagers had gathered together.
“Gentlemen,” they said, “who should we anoint as king?”
Some of the people there said, “One who is very powerful because of his merit.”
Others said, “How is such a person identified?”
“Appoint examiners,” some others said.
So they appointed examiners, who began to travel around and about.1158 They saw someone taking a nap under a tree. As they contemplated his appearance, they saw that the shadows of the other trees were leaning eastward and prone eastward, but the shadow of that particular tree never left Śyāmāka’s body. Seeing this, they began to speak among themselves: “Gentlemen, this being is very powerful because of his merit. We should anoint him [as king].”
They woke him and said to him, “Boy, accept the throne!”
“I’m not interested in being a king,” he said. “I am the personal attendent of the noble Mahākātyāyana.”
The venerable Mahākātyāyana heard this and then began to focus his attention [580]—“Does the boy possess the karma for becoming a king or not?” He saw that he did. So he said, “Son, accept the throne. But you must rule according to dharma.”
Śyāmāka accepted the throne, and they anointed him as king. Since the boy Śyāmāka ruled there, it cam
e to be known as Śyāmākarājya (Kingdom of Śyāmāka).
The venerable Mahākātyāyana then arrived in Vokkāṇa.1159 The venerable Mahākātyāyana’s mother had been reborn in Vokkāṇa, and when she saw the venerable Mahākātyāyana, she said, “Oh! After a long time I get to see my dear son.1160 After such a long time I get to see him.” Then a stream of milk began to flow from her breasts.
“Mother, mother,” the venerable Mahākātyāyana consoled her.
Then she offered food to the venerable Mahākātyāyana.
Knowing her inclinations, propensities, makeup, and nature, he then gave her a discourse on the dharma that elucidated the four noble truths.1161 When she heard this, with her thunderbolt of knowledge she broke through that mountain, which is the false view of individuality that arises with its twenty peaks of incorrect views, and directly experienced the reward of the stream-enterer. Having seen the truth, three times she uttered this inspired utterance:
What the Blessed One has done for the likes of me, Bhadanta,
neither my mother nor my father have done,
nor any king,
nor deities or dear ones,
nor any of my kinsmen or relatives,
nor deceased ancestors,
nor ascetics or brahmans.
Oceans of blood and tears have dried up!
Mountains of bones have been scaled!
The doors to the lower realms of existence have been closed!
The doors to heaven and liberation have been opened!
I have been established among gods and humans!
And she said,
A good son should perform
an incredible deed for his mother,1162
and you have done that for me,
focusing my mind on liberation.
You lifted me out of the lower realms of existence
