6
1 Now the Blessed One thought: 'To whom shall I preach the doctrine first? Who will understand this doctrine easily?' And the Blessed One thought: 'There is Âlâra Kâlâma [one of the two teachers Gotama had first followed after becoming an ascetic]; he is clever, wise, and learned; long since have the eye of his mind been darkened by scarcely any dust. What if I were to preach the doctrine first to Âlâra Kâlâma? He will easily understand this doctrine.'
2 Then an invisible deity said to the Blessed One: 'Âlâra Kâlâma has died, Lord, seven days ago.' And knowledge sprang up in the Blessed One's mind that Âlâra Kâlâma had died seven days ago. And the Blessed One thought: 'Highly noble was Âlâra Kâlâma. If he had heard my doctrine, he would easily have understood it.'
3 Then the Blessed One thought: 'To whom shall I preach the doctrine first? Who will understand this doctrine easily?' And the Blessed One thought: 'There is Uddaka Râmaputta [the other of Gotama's first two teachers]; he is clever, wise, and learned; long since have the eye or his mind been darkened by scarcely any dust. What if I were to preach the doctrine first to Uddaka Râmaputta? He will easily understand this doctrine.'
4 Then an invisible deity said to the Blessed One: 'Uddaka Râmaputta has died, Lord, yesterday evening.' And knowledge arose in the Blessed One's mind that Uddaka Râmaputta had died the previous evening. And the Blessed One thought: 'Highly noble was Uddaka Râmaputta. If he had heard my doctrine, he would easily have understood it.'
5 Then the Blessed One thought: 'To whom shall I preach the doctrine first? Who will understand this doctrine easily?' And the Blessed One thought: 'The five Bhikkhus [monks] have done many services to me; they attended on me during the time of my exertions (to attain sanctification by undergoing austerities). What if I were to preach the doctrine first to the five Bhikkhus?'
6 Now the Blessed One thought: 'Where do the five Bhikkhus dwell now?' And the Blessed One saw by the power of his divine, clear vision, surpassing that of men, that the five Bhikkhus were living at Benares, in the deer park Isipatana. And the Blessed One, after having remained at Uruvelâ as long as he thought fit, went forth to Benares.
7 Now Upaka, a man belonging to the Âgîvaka sect (i.e. the sect of naked ascetics), saw the Blessed One travelling on the road, between Gayâ and the Bodhi tree; and when he saw him, he said to the Blessed One: 'Your countenance, friend, is serene; your complexion is pure and bright. In whose name, friend, have you retired from the world? Who is your teacher? Whose doctrine do you profess?'
8 When Upaka the Âgîvaka had spoken thus, the Blessed One addressed him in the following stanzas: 'I have overcome all foes; I am all-wise; I am free from stains in every way; I have left everything; and have obtained emancipation by the destruction of desire. Having myself gained knowledge, whom should I call my master? I have no teacher; no one is equal to me; in the world of men and of gods no being is like me. I am the holy One in this world, I am the highest teacher, I alone am the absolute Sambuddha; I have gained coolness (by the extinction of all passion) and have obtained Nirvâna. To found the Kingdom of Truth I go to the city of the Kâsis (Benares); I will beat the drum of the Immortal in the darkness of this world.'
9 (Upaka replied): 'You profess then, friend, to be the holy, absolute Gina [the Jina of Jainism].'
(Buddha said): 'Like me are all Ginas who have reached extinction of the Âsavas [sensuality, individuality, delusion, ignorance] I have overcome all states of sinfulness; therefore, Upaka, am I the Gina.'
When he had spoken thus, Upaka the Âgîvaka replied: 'It may be so, friend;' shook his head, took another road, and went away.
10 And the Blessed One, wandering from place to place, came to Benares, to the deer park Isipatana, to the place where the five Bhikkhus were. And the five Bhikkhus saw the Blessed One coming from afar; when they saw him, they concerted with each other, saying, 'Friends, there comes the samana Gotama, who lives in abundance, who has given up his exertions, and who has turned to an abundant life. Let us not salute him; nor rise from our seats when he approaches; nor take his bowl and his robe from his hands. But let us put there a seat; if he likes, let him sit down.'
11 But when the Blessed One gradually approached near unto those five Bhikkhus, the five Bhikkhus kept not their agreement. They went forth to meet the Blessed One; one took his bowl and his robe, another prepared a seat, a third one brought water for the washing of the feet, a foot-stool, and a towel. Then the Blessed One sat down on the seat they had prepared; and when he was seated, the Blessed One washed his feet. Now they addressed the Blessed One by his name, and with the appellation 'Friend.'
12 When they spoke to him thus, the Blessed One said to the five Bhikkhus: 'Do not address, O Bhikkhus, the Tathâgata [a word the Buddha used to refer to himself] by his name, and with the appellation "Friend." The Tathâgata, O Bhikkhus, is the holy, absolute Sambuddha. Give ear, O Bhikkhus! The immortal (Amata) has been won (by me); I will teach you; to you I preach the doctrine. If you walk in the way I show you, you will, ere long, have penetrated to the truth, having yourselves known it and seen it face to face; and you will live in the possession of that highest goal of the holy life, for the sake of which noble youths fully give up the world and go forth into the houseless state.
13 When he had spoken thus, the five monks said to the Blessed One: 'By those observances, friend Gotama, by those practices, by those austerities, you have not been able to obtain power surpassing that of men, nor the superiority of full and holy knowledge and insight. How will you now, living in abundance, having given up your exertions, having turned to an abundant life, be able to obtain power surpassing that of men, and the superiority of full and holy knowledge and insight?'
14 When they had spoken thus, the Blessed One said to the five Bhikkhus: 'The Tathâgata, O Bhikkhus, does not live in abundance, he has not given up exertion, he has not turned to an abundant life. The Tathâgata, O Bhikkhus, is the holy, absolute Sambuddha. Give ear, O Bhikkhus; the immortal has been won (by me); I will teach you, to you I will preach the doctrine. If you walk in the way I show you, you will, ere long, have penetrated to the truth, having yourselves known it and seen it face to face; and you will live in the possession of that highest goal of the holy life, for the sake of which noble youths fully give up the world and go forth into the houseless state.'
15 And the five Bhikkhus said to the Blessed One a second time (as above). And the Blessed One said to the five Bhikkhus a second time (as above). And the five Bhikkhus said to the Blessed One a third time (as above).
16 When they had spoken thus, the Blessed One said to the five Bhikkhus: 'Do you admit, O Bhikkhus, that I have never spoken to you in this way before this day?'
'You have never spoken so, Lord.'
'The Tathâgata, O Bhikkhus, is the holy, absolute Sambuddha. Give ear, O Bhikkhus, &c. (as above).'
And the Blessed One was able to convince the five Bhikkhus; and the five Bhikkhus again listened willingly to the Blessed One; they gave ear, and fixed their mind on the knowledge (which the Buddha imparted to them).
17 And the Blessed One thus addressed the five Bhikkhus: 'There are two extremes, O Bhikkhus, which he who has given up the world, ought to avoid. What are these two extremes? A life given to pleasures, devoted to pleasures and lusts: this is degrading, sensual, vulgar, ignoble, and profitless; and a life given to mortifications: this is painful, ignoble, and profitless. By avoiding these two extremes, O Bhikkhus, the Tathâgata has gained the knowledge of the Middle Path which leads to insight, which leads to wisdom, which conduces to calm, to knowledge, to the Sambodhi, to Nirvâna.
18 'Which, O Bhikkhus, is this Middle Path the knowledge of which the Tathâgata has gained, which leads to insight, which leads to wisdom, which conduces to calm, to knowledge, to the Sambodhi, to Nirvâna? It is the holy eightfold Path, namely, Right Belief, Right Aspiration, Right Speech, Right Conduct, Right Means of Livelihood, Right Endeavour, Right Memory, Right Meditation. This, O Bhikkhus, is the Middle Path the knowledge of which the Tathâgata has gained, which leads to insight, which leads to wisdom, which conduces to calm, to knowledge, to the Sambodhi, to Nirvâna.
19 'This, O Bhikkhus, is the Noble Truth of Suffering: Birth is suffering; decay is suffering; illness is suffering; death is suffering. Presence of objects we hate, is suffering; Separation from objects we love, is suffering; not to obtain what we desire, is suffering. Briefly, the fivefold clinging to existence is suffering.
20 'This, O Bhikkhus, is the Noble Truth of the Cause of suffering: Thirst, that leads to re-birth, accornpanied by pleasure and lust, finding its delight here and there. (This thirst is threefold), namely, thirst for pleasure, thirst for existence, thirst for prosperity.
21 'This, O Bhikkhus, is the Noble Truth of the Cessation of suffering: (It ceases with) the complete cessation of this thirst,—a cessation which consists in the absence of every passion,—with the abandoning of this thirst, with the doing away with it, with the deliverance from it, with the destruction of desire.
22 'This, O Bhikkhus, is the Noble Truth of the Path which leads to the cessation of suffering: that holy eightfold Path, that is to say, Right Belief, Right Aspiration, Right Speech, Right Conduct, Right Means of Livelihood, Right Endeavour, Right Memory, Right Meditation.
23 '"This is the Noble Truth of Suffering;"—thus, O Bhikkhus, of this doctrine, which formerly had not been heard of, have I obtained insight, knowledge, understanding, wisdom, intuition. "This Noble Truth of Suffering must be understood," thus, O Bhikkhus, of this doctrine, . . . . (&c., down to intuition [in this verse]). "This Noble Truth of Suffering I have understood," thus, O Bhikkhus, of this doctrine, . . . . (&c., down to intuition [in this verse]
.
24 '"This is the Noble Truth of the Cause of suffering," thus, O Bhikkhus, (&c.) "This Noble Truth of the Cause of suffering must be abandoned has been abandoned by me," thus, O Bhikkhus, (&c.)
25 '"This is the Noble Truth of the Cessation of suffering," thus, O Bhikkhus, (&c.) "This Noble Truth of the Cessation of suffering must be seen face to face . . . . has been seen by me face to face," thus, O Bhikkhus, (&c.)
26 '"This is the Noble Truth of the Path which leads to the cessation of suffering," thus, O Bhikkhus, (&c.) "This Noble Truth of the Path which leads to the cessation of suffering, must be realised has been realised by me," thus, O Bhikkhus, (&c.)
27 'As long, O Bhikkhus, as I did not possess with perfect purity this true knowledge and insight into these four Noble Truths, with its three modifications and its twelve constituent parts [in 1st Khandhaka 6:23—26]; so long, O Bhikkhus, I knew that I had not yet obtained the highest, absolute Sambodhi in the world of men and gods, in Mâra's and Brahma's world, among all beings, Samanas and Brâhmanas, gods and men.
28 'But since I possessed, O Bhikkhus, with perfect purity this true knowledge and insight into these four Noble Truths, with its three modifications and its twelve constituent parts, then I knew, O Bhikkhus, that I had obtained the highest, universal Sambodhi in the world of men and gods, . . . . (&c., as in [1st Khandhaka 6:27]).
29 'And this knowledge and insight arose in my mind: "The emancipation of my mind cannot be lost; this is my last birth; hence I shall not be born again!"'
Thus the Blessed One spoke. The five Bhikkhus were delighted, and they rejoiced at the words of the Blessed One. And when this exposition was propounded, the venerable Kondañña obtained the pure and spotless Eye of the Truth (that is to say, the following knowledge): 'Whatsoever is subject to the condition of origination, is subject also to the condition of cessation.'
30 And as the Blessed One had founded the Kingdom of Truth (by propounding the four Noble Truths), the earth-inhabiting devas shouted: 'Truly the Blessed One has founded at Benares, in the deer park Isipatana, the highest kingdom of Truth, which may be opposed neither by a Samana nor by a Brâhmana, neither by a deva, nor by Mâra, nor by Brahma, nor by any being in the world.'
Hearing the shout of the earth-inhabiting devas, the kâtumahârâgika devas (gods belonging to the world of the four divine mahârâgas) shouted, . . . . (&c., as above). Hearing the shout of the kâtumahârâgika devas, the tâvatimsa devas [thirty-three devas of Vedic mythology], the yâma devas, the tusita devas, the nimmânarati devas, the paranimmitavasavatti devas, the brahmakâyika devas shouted: 'Truly the Blessed One, . . . .' (&c., as above).
31 Thus in that moment, in that instant, in that second the shout reached the Brahma world; and this whole system of ten thousand worlds quaked, was shaken, and trembled; and an infinite, mighty light was seen through the world, which surpassed the light that can be produced by the divine power of the devas.
And the Blessed One pronounced this solemn utterance: 'Truly Kondañña has perceived it, truly Kondañña has perceived it!' Hence the venerable Kondañña received the name Aññâtakondañña (Kondañña who has perceived the doctrine).
32 And the venerable Aññâtakondañña, having seen the Truth, having mastered the Truth, having understood the Truth, having penetrated the Truth, having overcome uncertainty, having dispelled all doubts, having gained full knowledge, dependent on nobody else for knowledge of the doctrine of the Teacher, thus spoke to the Blessed One: 'Lord, let me receive the pabbaggâ and upasampadâ ordinations from the Blessed One.'
'Come, O Bhikkhu,' said the Blessed One, 'well taught is the doctrine; lead a holy life for the sake of the complete extinction of suffering.' Thus this venerable person received the upasampadâ ordination.
33 And the Blessed One administered to the other Bhikkhus exhortation and instruction by discourses relating to the Dhamma. And the venerable Vappa, and the venerable Bhaddiya, when they received from the Blessed One such exhortation and instruction by discourses relating to the Dhamma, obtained the pure and spotless Eye of the Truth (that is to say, the following knowledge): 'Whatsoever is subject to the condition of origination is subject also to the condition of cessation.'
34 And having seen the Truth, having mastered the Truth, . . . . (&c., as in [1st Khandhaka 6:32]), they thus spoke to the Blessed One: 'Lord, let us receive the pabbaggâ and upasampadâ ordinations from the Blessed One.'
'Come, O Bhikkhus,' said the Blessed One, 'well taught is the doctrine; lead a holy life for the sake of the complete extinction of suffering.' Thus these venerable persons received the upasampadâ ordination.
35 And the Blessed One, living on what the Bhikkhus brought him, administered to the other Bhikkhus exhortation and instruction by discourse relating to the Dhamma; in this way the six persons lived on what the three Bhikkhus brought home from their alms pilgrimage.
36, 37 And the venerable Mahânâma and the venerable Assagi, when they received from the Blessed One, . . . . (&c., as in [1st Khandhaka 6:33, 34], down to:). Thus these venerable persons received the upasampadâ ordination.
38 And the Blessed One thus spoke to the five Bhikkhus: 'The body (Rûpa), O Bhikkhus, is not the self. If the body, O Bhikkhus, were the self, the body would not be subject to disease, and we should be able to say: "Let my body be such and such a one, let my body not be such and such a one." But since the body, O Bhikkhus, is not the self, therefore the body is subject to disease, and we are not able to say: "Let my body be such and such a one, let my body not be such and such a one."
39–41 'Sensation (Vedanâ), O Bhikkhus, is not the self, . . . . (&c. [as in 1st Khandhaka 6:83, but with the same words "body" and not "sensation"]) Perception (Saññâ) is not the self, . . . . The Samkhâras are not the self, . . . . Consciousness (Viññâna) is not the self, . . . . (&c.)
42 'Now what do you think, O Bhikkhus, is the body permanent or perishable?'
'It is perishable, Lord.'
'And that which is perishable, does that cause pain or joy?'
'It causes pain, Lord.'
'And that which is perishable, painful, subject to change, is it possible to regard that in this way: 'This is mine, this am I, this is my self?'
'That is impossible, Lord.'
43 'Is sensation permanent or perishable?' . . . . (&c. [the same questions as 1st Khandhaka 6:42 in regards to sensation, perception, the Samkhâras and consciousness])
44 'Therefore, O Bhikkhus, whatever body has been, will be, and is now, belonging or not belonging to sentient beings, gross or subtle, inferior or superior, distant or near, all that body is not mine, is not me, is not my self: thus it should be considered by right knowledge according to the truth.
45 'Whatever sensation, . . . . (&c. [as 1st Khandhaka 6:44 in regards to sensation, perception, the Samkhâras and consciousness])
46 'Considering this, O Bhikkhus, a learned, noble hearer of the word becomes weary of body, weary of sensation, weary of perception, weary of the Samkhâras, weary of consciousness. Becoming weary of all that, he divests himself of passion; by absence of passion he is made free; when he is free, he becomes aware that he is free; and he realises that re-birth is exhausted; that holiness is completed; that duty is fulfilled; and that there is no further return to this world.'
47 Thus the Blessed One spoke; the five Bhikkhus were delighted, and rejoiced at the words of the Blessed One. And when this exposition had been propounded, the minds of the five Bhikkhus became free from attachment to the world, and were released from the Âsavas [see 1st Khandhaka 6:9].
At that time there were six Arahats (persons who had reached absolute holiness) in the world.
End of the first Bhânavâra.
7
1 At that time there was in Benares a noble youth, Yasa by name, the son of a setthi (or treasurer ["a position of honor among the merchants"]) and delicately nurtured. He had three palaces, one for winter, one for summer, one for the rainy season. In the palace for the rainy season he lived during the four months (of that season), surrounded with female musicians among whom no man was, and he did not descend from that palace (all that time). Now one day Yasa, the noble youth, who was endowed with, and possessed of the five pleasures of sense [i.e. pleasures of the eye, ear, nose, tongue and touch], while he was attended (by those female musicians), fell asleep sooner than usual; and after him his attendants also fell asleep. Now an oil lamp was burning through the whole night.
2 And Yasa, the noble youth, awoke sooner than usual; and he saw his attendants sleeping; one had her lute leaning against her armpit; one had her tabor leaning against her neck; one had her drum leaning against her armpit; one had dishevelled hair; one had saliva flowing from her mouth; and they were muttering in their sleep. One would think it was a cemetery one had fallen into [literally: "one would think a cemetary had suddenly come to one's hand"]. When he saw that, the evils (of the life he led) manifested themselves to him; his mind became weary (of worldly pleasures). And Yasa, the noble youth, gave utterance to this solemn exclamation: 'Alas! what distress; alas! what danger!'
3 And Yasa, the noble youth, put on his gilt slippers, and went to the gate of his house. Non-human beings opened the gate, in order that no being might prevent Yasa the noble youth's leaving the world, and going forth into the houseless state. And Yasa, the noble youth, went to the gate of the city. Non-human beings opened the gate, in order that no being might prevent Yasa the noble youth's leaving the world, and going forth into the houseless state. And Yasa, the noble youth, went to the deer park Isipatana.
4 At that time the Blessed One, having arisen in the night, at dawn was walking up and down in the open air. And the Blessed One saw Yasa, the noble youth, coming from afar. And when he saw him, he left the place where he was walking, and sat down on a seat laid out (for him). And Yasa, the noble youth, gave utterance near the Blessed One to that solemn exclamation: 'Alas! what distress; alas! what danger!' And the Blessed One said to Yasa, the noble youth: 'Here is no distress, Yasa, here is no danger. Come here, Yasa, sit down; I will teach you the Truth (Dhamma).'
5 And Yasa, the noble youth, when he heard that there was no distress, and that there was no danger, became glad and joyful; and he put off his gilt slippers, and went to the place where the Blessed One was; having approached him and having respectfully saluted the Blessed One, he sat down near him. When Yasa, the noble youth, was sitting near him, the Blessed One preached to him in due course: that is to say, he talked about the merits obtained by alms-giving, about the duties of morality, about heaven, about the evils, the vanity, and the sinfulness of desires, and about the blessings of the abandonment of desire.
6 When the Blessed One saw that the mind of Yasa, the noble youth, was prepared, impressible, free from obstacles (to understanding the Truth), elated, and believing, then he preached what is the principal doctrine of the Buddhas, namely, Suffering, the Cause of suffering, the Cessation of suffering, the Path. Just as a clean cloth free from black specks properly takes the dye, thus Yasa, the noble youth, even while sitting there, obtained the pure and spotless Eye of the Truth (that is, the knowledge): 'Whatsoever is subject to the condition of origination is subject also to the condition of cessation.'
7 Now the mother of Yasa, the noble youth, having gone up to his palace, did not see Yasa, the noble youth, and she went to the setthi, the householder (her husband), and having approached him, she said to the setthi, the householder: 'Your son Yasa, O householder, has disappeared.' Then the setthi, the householder, sent messengers on horseback to the four quarters of the horizon; and he went himself to the deer park Isipatana. Then the setthi, the householder, saw on the ground the marks of the gilt slippers; and when he saw them, he followed them up.
8 And the Blessed One saw the setthi, the householder, coming from afar. On seeing him, he thought: 'What if I were to effect such an exercise of miraculous power, that the setthi, the householder, sitting here, should not see Yasa, the noble youth, who is sitting here also.' And the Blessed One effected such an exercise of his miraculous power.
9 And the setthi, the householder, went to the place where the Blessed One was; having approached him, he said to the Blessed One: 'Pray, Lord, has the Blessed One seen Yasa, the noble youth?'
'Well, householder, sit down. Perhaps, sitting here, you may see Yasa, the noble youth, sitting here also.'
And the setthi, the householder, who thought: 'Indeed, sitting here I shall see Yasa, the noble youth, sitting here also I became glad and joyful, and having respectfully saluted the Blessed One, he sat down near him.
10 When the setthi, the householder, was sitting near him, the Blessed One preached to him in due course; that is to say, he talked about the merits obtained by alms-giving, . . . . (&c., as at end of ]1st Khandaka 7:5]). And the setthi, the householder, having seen the Truth, having mastered the Truth, having penetrated the Truth, having overcome uncertainty, having dispelled all doubts, having gained full knowledge, dependent on nobody else for the knowledge of the doctrine of the Teacher, said to the Blessed One: 'Glorious, Lord! glorious, Lord! Just as if one should set up, Lord, what had been overturned, or should reveal what had been hidden, or should point out the way to one who had lost his way, or should bring a lamp into the darkness, in order that those who had eyes might see visible things, thus has the Blessed One preached the doctrine in many ways. I take my refuge, Lord, the Blessed One, and in the Dhamma, and in the fraternity of Bhikkhus; may the Blessed One receive me from this day forth while my life lasts as a disciple who has taken his refuge in Him.'
This was the first person in the world who became a lay-disciple by the formula of the holy triad.
11 And Yasa, the noble youth, while instruction was administered (by the Buddha) to his father, contemplated the stage of knowledge which he had seen with his mind and understood; and his mind became free from attachment to the world, and was released from the Âsavas. Then the Blessed One thought: 'Yasa, the noble youth, while instruction was administered to his father, has contemplated the stage of knowledge which he had seen with his mind and understood; and his mind has become free from attachment to the world, and has become released from the Âsavas. It is impossible that Yasa, the noble youth, should return to the world and enjoy pleasures, as he did before, when he lived in his house. What if I were now to put an end to that exertion of my miraculous power.' And the Blessed One put an end to that exertion of his miraculous Power.
12 Then the setthi, the householder, saw Yasa, the noble youth, sitting there. On seeing him he said to Yasa, the noble youth: 'My son Yasa, your mother is absorbed in lamentation and grief; restore your mother to life.'
13 Then Yasa, the noble youth, looked at the Blessed One. And the Blessed One said to the setthi, the householder: 'What do you think then, O householder? That Yasa has (first) won only an imperfect degree of knowledge and insight into the Truth, as you have yourself? Or that rather he was contemplating the stage of knowledge which he had seen with his mind and understood; and that his mind has thus become free from attachment to the world, and has become released from the Âsavas? Now would it then be possible, O householder, that Yasa should return to the world and enjoy pleasures as he did before, when he lived in his house?'
[The setthi:] 'Not so, Lord.' [Buddha:] 'Yasa, the noble youth, O householder, had (first) won, like yourself, an imperfect degree of knowledge and insight into the Truth. But when he was contemplating the stage of knowledge which he had seen with his mind and understood, his mind has become free from attachment to the world, and has become released from the Âsavas. It is impossible, O householder, that Yasa, the noble youth, should return to the world and enjoy pleasures as he did before, when he lived in his house.'
14 'It is all gain, Lord, to Yasa, the noble youth, it is high bliss, Lord, for Yasa, the noble youth, that the mind of Yasa, the noble youth, has become free from attachment to the world, and has become released from the Âsavas. Might, Lord, the Blessed One consent to take his meal with me to-day together with Yasa, the noble youth, as his attendant?'
The Blessed One expressed his consent by remaining silent. Then the setthi, the householder, when he understood that the Blessed One had accepted his invitation, rose from his seat, respectfully saluted the Blessed One, and passing round him with his right side towards him, departed thence.
15 And [Yasa], the noble youth, soon after the setthi, the householder, was gone, said to the Blessed One: 'Lord, let me receive the pabbaggâ and upasampadâ ordinations from the Blessed One.'
'Come, O Bhikkhu,' said the Blessed One, 'well taught is the doctrine; lead a holy life for the sake of the complete extinction of suffering.'
Thus this venerable person received the upasampadâ ordination. At that time there were seven Arahats in the world.
End of the story of Yasa's pabbaggâ.
8
1 And in the forenoon the blessed One, having put on his under-robes, took his alms-bowl, and, with his kîvara on, went with the venerable Yasa as his attendant to the house of the setthi, the householder. When he had arrived there, he sat down on a seat laid out for him. Then the mother and the former wife of the venerable Yasa went to the place where the Blessed One was; having approached him and having respectfully saluted the Blessed One. they sat down near him.
2 Then the Blessed One preached to them in due course; that is to say, he talked about the merits obtained by alms-giving, . . . . (&c., as in chap. 7. 5, 6 [ 1st Khandhaka 7:5, 6], down to:); thus they obtained, while sitting there, the pure and spotless Eye of the Truth (that is, the knowledge): 'Whatsoever is subject to the condition of origination is subject also to the condition of cessation.'
3 And having seen the Truth, . . . . (&c., as above, [1st Khandhaka 7:5, 6], down to:), dependent on nobody else for knowledge of the Teacher's doctrine, they thus spoke to the Blessed One: 'Glorious, Lord! glorious Lord! Just as if one should set up' (&c., as in chap. 7. 10 [1st Khandhaka 7:10], down to:). We take our refuge, Lord, in the Blessed One, and in the Dhamma, and in the fraternity of Bhikkhus; may the Blessed One receive us from this day forth, while our life lasts, as disciples who have taken their refuge in Him.'
These were the first females in the world who became lay-disciples by the formula of the holy triad.
4 And the mother and the father and the former wife of the venerable Yasa with their own hands served and offered excellent food, both hard and soft, to the Blessed One and to the venerable Yasa; and when the Blessed One had finished his meal, and cleansed his bowl and his hands, they sat down near him. Then the Blessed One taught, incited, animated, and gladdened the mother, and father, and the former wife of the venerable Yasa by religious discourse; and then he rose from his seat and went away.
9
1 Now four lay persons, friends of the venerable Yasa, belonging to the setthi families of Benares, and to the highest after the setthi families, by name Vimala, Subâhu, Punnagi, and Gavampati, heard: 'Yasa, the noble youth, has cut off his hair and beard, and has put on yellow robes, and has given up the world, and gone forth into the houseless state.' When they had heard that, they thought: 'Surely that cannot be a common doctrine and discipline, that cannot be a common renunciation of the world, if Yasa, the noble youth, has cut off his hair and beard, and has put on yellow robes, and has given up the world, and gone forth into the houseless state.'
2 Those four persons went to the place where the venerable Yasa was; having approached him and having respectfully saluted the venerable Yasa, they stood by his side. And the venerable Yasa went with his four lay-friends to the place where the Blessed One was; having approached him and having respectfully saluted the Blessed One, he sat down near him. Sitting near him the venerable Yasa said to the Blessed One: 'Lord, here are four lay-friends of mine, belonging to the setthi families of Benares and to the highest after the setthi families; their names are Vimala, Subâhu, Punnagi, and Gavampati. May the Blessed One administer exhortation and. instruction to these four persons.
3 Then the Blessed One preached to them, . . . . (&c., as in chap. 8. 2 [1st Khandhaka 8:2]).
4. And having seen the Truth, . . . . (&c., down to:) dependent on nobody else for the knowledge of the Teacher's doctrine, they thus spoke to the Blessed One: 'Lord, let us receive the pabbaggâ and upasampadâ ordinations from the Blessed One.'
'Come, O Bhikkhus,' said the Blessed One, 'well taught is the doctrine; lead a holy life for the sake of the complete extinction of suffering.'
Thus these venerable persons received the upasampadâ ordination. And the Blessed One administered to these Bhikkhus exhortation and instruction by discourse relating to the Dhamma. While they received exhortation and instruction from the Blessed One by discourse relating to the Dhamma. their minds became free from attachment to the world, and were released from the Âsavas.
At that time there were eleven Arahats in the world.
Here ends the story of the ordination of the four laymen.
10
Now fifty lay persons, friends of the venerable Yasa, belonging to the highest families in the country and to those next to the highest, heard, . . . . (&c., as in [1st Khandhaka 9:1–4], down to:). While they received exhortation and instruction from the Blessed One by discourse relating to the Dhamma, their minds became free from attachment to the world, and were released from the Âsavas.
At that time there were sixty-one Arahats in the world.