The Chapter on Medicines
Chapter Three
Toh 1-6
Degé Kangyur vol. 1 (’dul ba, ka), folios 277.b–311.a; vol. 2 (’dul ba, kha), folios 1.a–317.a; and vol. 3 (’dul ba, ga), folios 1.a–50.a
- Palgyi Lhünpo
- Sarvajñādeva
- Vidyākaraprabha
- Dharmākara
- Paltsek
Imprint
Translated by the Bhaiṣajyavastu Translation Team
under the patronage and supervision of 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha
First published 2021
Current version v 1.1.2 (2024)
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Table of Contents
Summary
The Bhaiṣajyavastu, “The Chapter on Medicines,” is a part of the Mūlasarvāstivāda Vinaya, the corpus of monastic law of one of the most influential Buddhist schools in India. This chapter deals with monastic regulations about medicines. At the same time, it also includes various elements not restricted to such rules: stories of the Buddha and his disciples, a lengthy story of the Buddha’s journey for the purpose of quelling an epidemic and converting a nāga, a number of stories of the Buddha’s former lives narrated by the Buddha himself, and a series of verses recited by the Buddha and his disciples about their former lives. Thus, this chapter preserves not only interesting information about medical knowledge shared by ancient Indian Buddhist monastics but also an abundance of Buddhist narrative literature.
Acknowledgements
This text was translated by the Bhaiṣajyavastu Translation Team. Fumi Yao translated the Tibetan text into English and prepared the ancillary materials. Shayne Clarke proofread the translation and ancillary materials.
The translation has been completed under the patronage and supervision of 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha.
We gratefully acknowledge the generous sponsorship of Leo Tong Chen and his family; Zhang Wei, Li Mo, Zhang Mo Tong and Zhang Mo Lin; (Chi Xian Ren) Mao Gui Rong and Chi Mei; and Joseph Tse 謝偉傑, Patricia Tse 鄒碧玲 and family, in dedication to all eczema sufferers. Their support has helped make the work on this translation possible.
Text Body
The Chapter on Medicines
Chapter Three
I. Rājagṛha
A. The Disaster of Rājagṛha and Its End
The Buddha, the Blessed One, was once staying in Kalandakanivāpa Bamboo Grove near Rājagṛha.
When Prince Ajātaśatru was enticed by Devadatta to kill his own father, who was a righteous Dharma king, and crown himself king, he began to perform a number of disrespectful acts toward the Blessed One [F.13.b] and set the elephant Dhanapālaka122 and a fierce dog on the Blessed One in order to kill him.
His mother, Vaidehī, told him, “My son, do not perform disrespectful acts toward the Blessed One. Since the buddhas, the blessed ones, are concerned about disrespectful acts, the Blessed One will leave Rājagṛha, which is bound to be a loss for us. Thanks to the Blessed One’s power, the people of the countries of Aṅga and Magadha have been rich and enjoyed themselves.”123
In an agitated state of mind, he replied, “Will a country where the Blessed One is not staying become ruined and uninhabited?” All his mother’s attempts to stop him were in vain.
The Blessed One thought, “Since this Prince Ajātaśatru has performed a number of nonmeritorious acts, now is not a good time for me to establish him in rootless faith.124 Therefore I shall go to Śrāvastī.” Thereupon the Blessed One, with the community of disciples, traveled toward Śrāvastī. In due course, he arrived in Śrāvastī and stayed in Śrāvastī, in the Jetavana, Anāthapiṇḍada’s Park.
Neighboring minor kings heard that since Ajātaśatru had performed disrespectful acts toward the Blessed One, the Blessed One had become concerned about such disrespectful acts, left Rājagṛha, and arrived in Śrāvastī. They thought, “For the time being, that sinful king, after having killed his father who was a righteous Dharma king, is not content and has performed disrespectful acts toward the Blessed One, who is venerated by gods, asuras, and humans. Since the buddhas, the blessed ones, are concerned about disrespectful acts, the Blessed One left Rājagṛha and arrived in Śrāvastī. Therefore, by whatever means, we shall dethrone him.”
They sent messengers to each other and unified their efforts, prepared an army consisting of four divisions, and set off for Rājagṛha with an elephant division, [F.14.a] a horse division, a chariot division, and an infantry division. They damaged the crops and camped around the city.
The nāga king Apalāla also damaged other crops by causing hail. Because the five hundred hot springs, fountains, lakes, and ponds had dried up, there was a famine. The rest of the water supply was polluted with poison by the neighboring minor kings. Then, as if throwing ash on the wound of Ajātaśatru, who could not bear his pain and was frightened, nonhuman beings took the opportunity to cause an epidemic, and then funeral biers jostled with one another. King Ajātaśatru, his mind confused by the hundreds of losses, was plunged into grief, resting his cheek on his hand. Vaidehī asked him, “My son, why are you plunged into grief?”
“Mother, I have suffered hundreds of losses.”
“My son, did I not once tell you, ‘Do not perform disrespectful acts toward the Blessed One. [B26] Since the buddhas, the blessed ones, are concerned about disrespectful acts, the Blessed One will leave Rājagṛha, which is bound to be a loss for us’? That’s why!”
“Mother, what should I do about it?”
“My son, beg the Blessed One for forgiveness.”
“Mother, I cannot go into the presence of the Blessed One.”
“My son, have you not heard that the buddhas, the blessed ones, accept being cut by an adze and being anointed with sandal paste as the same, and have abandoned anger and attachment? If one cut the Blessed One’s arm with an adze and anointed his other arm with gośīrṣacandana, the Blessed One would feel neither attachment nor anger toward him.”
Then King Ajātaśatru, son of Vaidehī, [F.14.b] ordered a man, “Go now to the Blessed One. When you arrive, bow low on my behalf until your forehead touches the Blessed One’s feet, and ask if the Blessed One is free from trouble, free from illness, in good physical condition, healthy, without any trouble, and living in vigor and comfort. Then say, ‘Honored One, this is a message from Ajātaśatru, the king of Magadha, son of Vaidehī: “Honored One, though there is a bad son, there is no bad father. So, may the Blessed One have compassion and come to Rājagṛha. If the Blessed One does not come, the city of Rājagṛha will soon be uninhabited, retaining only its name.” ’ ”
“Certainly, Your Majesty,” replied the man to Ajātaśatru, the king of Magadha, and departed.
The man in due course arrived in Śrāvastī and went to the Blessed One. When he arrived, he bowed low until his forehead touched the Blessed One’s feet, and then he sat down to one side. When he had sat down to one side, the man said to the Blessed One, “Honored One, King Ajātaśatru, son of Vaidehī, bows low until his forehead touches the Blessed One’s feet, and asks if the Blessed One is free from trouble, free from illness … and living in vigor and comfort.”
“I hope you and Ajātaśatru, the king of Magadha, son of Vaidehī, are living in comfort, too.”
“Honored One, this is a message from Ajātaśatru, the king of Magadha, son of Vaidehī: ‘Honored One, though there is a bad son, there is no bad father. So, may the Blessed One have compassion and come to Rājagṛha. If the Blessed One does not come, the city of Rājagṛha will soon be uninhabited, retaining only its name.’ ”
The Blessed One assented to the man by remaining silent. Then the man, knowing that the Blessed One had assented by remaining silent, [F.15.a] departed from the Blessed One’s presence.
Thereafter the Blessed One stayed in Śrāvastī as long as he wished, and then traveled toward Rājagṛha with the community of disciples. In due course, he arrived in the country of Magadha.
By the power of the Blessed One, the gods who send wind dried up the waters that had been polluted with poison. The gods who bring rain filled the land with water of the eight good qualities. The gods brought rain. The gods who have faith in the Buddha expelled the nonhuman beings from Rājagṛha and the epidemic ceased. When the neighboring minor kings heard that the Blessed One had come, they ended their siege of the city and left. Merchants displayed their merchandise. Each craftsman began to work. Merchants and caravan leaders living in each country began to enter Rājagṛha bringing their merchandise. The harvest became abundant. The great state of the Blessed One was proclaimed in wide streets, in small streets, at three-forked roads, and at crossroads. Non-Buddhist ascetics became timid. People were very pleased.
When Ajātaśatru, the king of Magadha, son of Vaidehī, heard that the Blessed One had come to the country of Magadha, he was pleased, he rejoiced, he was very pleased, he was highly pleased, and he felt happy. He instructed his ministers, “Sirs, today decorate the road for three and a half yojanas and beautify the cities for the sake of the Blessed One. In the whole city of Rājagṛha, remove the stones, pebbles, and gravel, sprinkle sandalwood water, and hang many silk tassels. Set out sweet-smelling censers [F.15.b] and set up parasols and banners. At various intervals make beautiful houses of flowers.”
“Certainly, Your Majesty,” replied the ministers to Ajātaśatru, the king of Magadha, son of Vaidehī, and they completed everything thoroughly.
Then Ajātaśatru, the king of Magadha, son of Vaidehī, with the majesty of a great king and the power of a great king, went to meet the Blessed One by himself along with his army of four divisions.
Then the Blessed One,125 who was self-controlled and followed by a self-controlled assembly, who was calm and followed by a calm assembly, who was peaceful and followed by a peaceful assembly, who was excellently self-controlled and followed by an excellently self-controlled assembly, who was an arhat and followed by an assembly of arhats, who was free from desire and followed by an assembly free from desire, who was beautiful and followed by a beautiful assembly, like a bull surrounded by bullocks, like an elephant surrounded by young elephants, like a lion surrounded by a pride of beasts, like a king of haṃsas surrounded by a flock of haṃsas, like a garuḍa surrounded by a flock of birds, like a brahmin surrounded by a group of his disciples, like an excellent physician surrounded by a group of patients, like a hero surrounded by a group of soldiers, like a guide surrounded by a group of visitors, like a caravan leader surrounded by a group of merchants, like a guild head surrounded by his kinsmen, like a minor king surrounded by a group of his ministers, like a wheel-turning king surrounded by his thousand sons, like the moon surrounded by the group of lunar mansions, like the sun surrounded by a thousand lights, like Dhṛtarāṣṭra surrounded by a group of gandharvas, like Virūḍhaka surrounded by a group of kumbhāṇḍas, like Virūpākṣa surrounded by a group of nāgas, like Vaiśravaṇa surrounded by a group of yakṣas, like Vemacitra surrounded by a group of asuras, like Śakra surrounded by the group of Thirty-Three Gods, [F.16.a] like Brahmā surrounded by a group of gods attendant on Brahmā, like the immovable ocean, like a rain cloud, like the best of elephants free from rutting, exhibiting an undisturbed manner and behavior because his senses were completely restrained, fully ornamented with the thirty-two marks of a great man, illuminated by the eighty minor marks, ornamented with a fathom-wide halo, beautiful like a moving mountain of jewels with a radiance surpassing a thousand suns, and having the ten powers, four types of self-confidence, three unshared applications of mindfulness, and great compassion, arrived at the city of Rājagṛha followed by a large community of monks, Ajātaśatru the king of Magadha and son of Vaidehī, and hundreds of thousands of gods.
At the moment the Blessed One entered Rājagṛha and, with a specific intention, placed his right foot on the threshold of the city gate, the great earth quaked in six ways. This great earth quaked, quaked furiously, and quaked absolutely furiously. It roared, roared furiously, and roared absolutely furiously. When the eastern side rose, the western side sank. When the western side rose, the eastern side sank. When the southern side rose, the northern side sank. When the northern side rose, the southern side sank. When the periphery rose, the middle sank. When the middle rose, the periphery sank. This whole world, along with the interstices between the worlds, was illuminated by a huge light. Gods beat drums in the air. Gods in the sky scattered divine flowers such as utpala, padma, kumuda, and puṇḍarīka; agaru powder, tagara powder, and powder from the tamāla leaf; divine mandārava flowers; [F.16.b] and garments. When the Blessed One came to the city, these wonders occurred. In addition, narrow places became wide, low places rose, and high places sank; elephants roared, horses roared, and bulls also roared; various musical instruments in houses sounded of their own accord without being struck; blind people could see, deaf people could hear, mute people could speak, and those who had other imperfect faculties gained the perfection of each faculty; and the drunk became sober, those who had taken poison recovered from the effect of the poison, those who were angry with each other became friendly, pregnant women bore their children safely, those who had been confined in prison were freed, and those who lacked property obtained property.
Having seen such prosperity, a lay brother spoke this verse:
Thereupon the Blessed One entered Rājagṛha and relieved the people. He then left Rājagṛha and entered the Bamboo Grove.
Then Ajātaśatru, the king of Magadha, son of Vaidehī, went to the Blessed One. When he arrived, he bowed low until his forehead touched the Blessed One’s feet, and then he sat down to one side. When he had sat down to one side, the Blessed One, through talk consistent with the Dharma, instructed, inspired, encouraged, and delighted Ajātaśatru, the king of Magadha, son of Vaidehī, [F.17.a] and was then silent. Ajātaśatru, the king of Magadha, son of Vaidehī, then praised and rejoiced in the words of the Blessed One. He rose from his seat, draped his upper robe over one shoulder, made the gesture of supplication to the Blessed One, and said to the Blessed One, “May the Blessed One together with the community of monks assent to my offer of the requisites for three months, namely, robes, almsfood, bedding and seats, and medicines for the sick.”
The Blessed One gave his assent to Ajātaśatru, the king of Magadha, son of Vaidehī, by remaining silent. Then Ajātaśatru, the king of Magadha, son of Vaidehī, knowing that the Blessed One had assented by remaining silent, bowed low until his forehead touched the Blessed One’s feet, rose from his seat, and departed. The Blessed One with the community of monks was then provided by Ajātaśatru, the king of Magadha, son of Vaidehī, with the requisites, namely, robes, almsfood, bedding and seats, and medicines for the sick, for three months.
B. The Epidemic in Vaiśālī126
After that, the epidemic was eradicated by the gods who had faith in the Buddha; it left Rājagṛha but appeared in a place named Guṃjika. When it entered Vaiśālī, the people of Vaiśālī suffered from the epidemic and funeral biers jostled one another.
There was a brahmin in Vaiśālī named Tomara, who was the chief priest of the country. In a dream, a god living in Vaiśālī said:
After the night had passed, Tomara said to the people of the Licchavi clan in Vaiśālī, “Sirs, I dreamed such-and-such a dream.”
“Sirs, what should we do about it?” they wondered. “Whom shall we send as a messenger to the Blessed One?” They conferred with each other and said, “This chief priest Tomara is himself capable in everything and he loves us. We shall send him.” They said to him, “Go to the Blessed One. When you have arrived, bow low on our behalf until your forehead touches the Blessed One’s feet, and then ask if the Blessed One is free from trouble, free from illness . . . . Then say, ‘Honored One, this is a message from the people of Vaiśālī: “May the Blessed One come to Vaiśālī. If the Blessed One does not come to Vaiśālī, Vaiśālī will soon be uninhabited, retaining only its name.’ ”
“Sirs,” he said, “since Ajātaśatru, the king of Magadha, son of Vaidehī, has sought to do harm to you and been your enemy for many years, I am afraid he may do harm to me.”
They answered with this verse:
Thereupon the chief priest Tomara performed various rituals that bring good fortune, blessings, and well-being, and in due course arrived in Rājagṛha. After he was fully rested, he went to the Blessed One. When he arrived, face to face with the Blessed One, he made plenty of pleasant and joyful conversation, and then sat down to one side. When he had sat down to one side, the chief priest Tomara [F.18.a] said to the Blessed One, “O Gautama, the people of Vaiśālī bow low until their foreheads touch the Blessed One’s feet, and ask if the Blessed One is free from trouble, free from illness, in good physical condition, healthy, having no trouble, and living in vigor and comfort.”
“O Gautama, this is a message from the people of Vaiśālī: ‘May the Blessed One come to Vaiśālī. If the Blessed One does not come to Vaiśālī, Vaiśālī will soon be uninhabited, retaining only its name.’ ”
“Tomara,” replied the Blessed One, “together with the community of disciples, I am being provided with all the requisites for three months by Ajātaśatru, the king of Magadha, son of Vaidehī. So, ask the king for permission. If the king permits it, I shall go as you have asked.”
Tomara sent a message to the people of Vaiśālī that the Blessed One had spoken thus. The people of Vaiśālī returned a message: “Then you should go to Ajātaśatru, the king of Magadha, son of Vaidehī. When you arrive, ask on our behalf if Ajātaśatru, the king of Magadha, son of Vaidehī is free from trouble, free from illness, in good physical condition, healthy, having no trouble, and living in vigor and comfort. Then say this: ‘Your Majesty, please permit the Blessed One to come to Vaiśālī. If Your Majesty does not permit it, Vaiśālī will soon be uninhabited, retaining only its name.’ ”
Then the chief priest Tomara asked himself, “Should I first contact the king, or his ministers?” [F.18.b] He thought, “Some people say, ‘Do not make contact directly. You should contact those who help you contact the person.’ In short, I should contact the ministers.”
And so he did try to contact the ministers. The ministers then inquired of him, “O Chief Priest, for what business have you come?”
“Sirs,” he replied, “I came to ask His Majesty a favor for the Blessed One. Please help me.”
“Certainly. Come when we call you,” they said.
Thereupon they found an appropriate time and called him. The chief priest Tomara then went to Ajātaśatru, the king of Magadha, son of Vaidehī. When he arrived, he wished Ajātaśatru, the king of Magadha, son of Vaidehī, victory and long life and sat to one side. When he had sat to one side, the chief priest Tomara said to Ajātaśatru, the king of Magadha, son of Vaidehī, “Your Majesty, the people of Vaiśālī ask whether Your Majesty is free from trouble . . . .”
“Your Majesty, this is a message from the people of Vaiśālī: ‘Your Majesty, please permit the Blessed One to come to Vaiśālī. If Your Majesty does not permit it, Vaiśālī will soon be uninhabited, retaining only its name.’”
“Tomara,” said the king, “I have long thought, ‘Oh, why shouldn’t the land of Vaiśālī become uninhabited?’ If the land of Vaiśālī becomes uninhabited, it will happen that I obtain without difficulty the very thing for which I have hoped.”
When the king had spoken thus, Tomara departed. The ministers [F.19.a] said, “Your Majesty, does the Blessed One abandon any living being?”
“No, sirs, he does not.”
“Then Your Majesty is performing a disrespectful act toward the Blessed One. Whether Your Majesty permits the Blessed One or not, the Blessed One will go out of compassion for the beings in Vaiśālī.”
“Sirs, I did not know that,” said the king. “Call Tomara back, then.”
They called Tomara back and the king said to him, “Tomara, I promise I will permit the Blessed One to go. I will permit this if the people of Vaiśālī venerate and serve the Blessed One as I do.”
The people said, “While the king has venerated and served the Blessed One only by himself, why would we, who are many, not do so?” They sent a message back: “Ask the Blessed One to come, and we will venerate and serve the Blessed One as a noble one more beautifully than the king did.” Tomara then informed the king of this.
Thereupon Ajātaśatru, the king of Magadha, son of Vaidehī, went to the Blessed One. When he arrived, he bowed low until his forehead touched the Blessed One’s feet, and then he sat down to one side. When he had sat down to one side, Ajātaśatru, the king of Magadha, son of Vaidehī, said to the Blessed One, “Honored One, I wish to provide the Blessed One together with the community of monks with the requisites, namely, robes, almsfood, bedding and seats, and medicines for the sick, throughout my life, [F.19.b] but the Blessed One will not permit it out of compassion for other beings. May the Blessed One then assent to my offer of a meal.”
The Blessed One assented to Ajātaśatru, the king of Magadha, son of Vaidehī, by remaining silent. Ajātaśatru, the king of Magadha, son of Vaidehī, knowing that the Blessed One had assented by remaining silent, rose from his seat, bowed low until his forehead touched the Blessed One’s feet, and departed.
Thereupon127 Ajātaśatru, the king of Magadha, son of Vaidehī, prepared a pure and fine meal during the night. The next morning he let the Blessed One know the time by messenger: “Honored One, the time has arrived. May the Blessed One know that the meal is ready.”
Knowing that the Blessed One had finished his meal and washed his hands and his bowl, the king held a golden pitcher and asked the Blessed One a favor: “Honored One, the Blessed One has converted a lot of wicked nāgas and wicked yakṣas. Honored One, this nāga king Apalāla has, for a long time, been hostile toward us who are not hostile, adversarial toward us who are not adversarial, and injurious to us who have not been injurious, and he wasted our crops that had just grown. May the Blessed One have compassion and excellently convert the nāga king Apalāla.”128
The Blessed One assented to Ajātaśatru, the king of Magadha, son of Vaidehī, by remaining silent. Thereupon the Blessed One assigned the rewards of the offerings to Ajātaśatru, the king of Magadha, son of Vaidehī, and departed. When he arrived at the monastery, the Blessed One sat on the seat prepared for him in front of the community of monks. When he had sat down, the Blessed One said to the venerable Ānanda,129 “Ānanda, let us go to convert the nāga king [F.20.a] Apalāla in the northern region. There are five advantages of the northern region. What are the five? There are abundant flowers; there are abundant fruits; there is abundant water; there is sufficient almsfood; and there are honest people.”130 When he had said this, the Blessed One entered the monastery to go into seclusion.
Thereupon Ajātaśatru, the king of Magadha, son of Vaidehī, ordered that the road from Rājagṛha to the Ganges and the cities in the country of Magadha all be cleaned: all the stones, pebbles, and gravel be removed; sandalwood water be sprinkled; sweet-smelling censers be set out; many silk tassels be hung; and at various intervals beautiful houses made of flowers be prepared. The people of the Licchavi clan in Vaiśālī had the road from the Ganges to Vaiśālī and the cities cleaned more beautifully than he did.
Then in the evening the Blessed One arose from his seclusion and said to the venerable Ānanda, “Ānanda, let us go to Nālandā.”
“Certainly, O Honored One,” replied the venerable Ānanda to the Blessed One.
II. Nālandā131
Thereupon the Blessed One, traveling through the country of Magadha, arrived in Nālandā, and stayed in a mango forest named Prāvārika near Nālandā.
At that time, there lived a wandering mendicant named Reed Merchant, who was old, aged, elderly—a hundred and twenty years old. He was treated with honor, looked up to, esteemed, venerated, and paid homage to as a worthy man. Now, a god who had once been a friend, companion, relative, and relation of the wandering mendicant Reed Merchant thought, “If I say to the wandering mendicant Reed Merchant, [F.20.b] ‘O ṛṣi, lead now the pure life in the presence of the Blessed One,’ he will never listen to me. Now I will go to him and make him ponder some questions.”
The god then went to the wandering mendicant Reed Merchant. When he arrived, he said to the wandering mendicant Reed Merchant, “O ṛṣi, now accept and ponder these questions from me: How should you recognize a person who pretends to be a friend while he is not in fact a friend? How should you know a friend who loves you as much as himself? For the sake of what should you enter into renunciation? How should you attain freedom from illness? O ṛṣi, hold these questions in your mind, and if someone answers them and thereby pleases you, you should lead the pure life in the presence of that person.” He then disappeared from there.
Then the wandering mendicant Reed Merchant, having accepted and pondered the questions from the god, went to Pūraṇa Kāśyapa. When he arrived, he considered the questions in his mind in front of Pūraṇa Kāśyapa: “How should I recognize a person who pretends to be a friend while he is not in fact a friend? . . . . How should I attain freedom from illness?” Pūraṇa Kāśyapa did not know or understand the questions being considered in the mendicant’s mind, let alone answer them. Then the wandering mendicant Reed Merchant thought, “Pūraṇa Kāśyapa did not know or understand the questions considered in my mind, let alone answer them.”
He went to Maskarī Gośālīputra, Saṃjayī Vairaṭṭīputra, Ajita Keśakambala, and Nirgrantha Jñātiputra. When he arrived, he considered the questions in his mind in front of Nirgrantha Jñātiputra: [F.21.a] “How should I recognize a person who pretends to be a friend while he is not in fact a friend?” . . . . He thought, “Nirgrantha Jñātiputra did not know or understand the questions considered in my mind, let alone answer them, either.”
Then the wandering mendicant Reed Merchant thought, “What is the use of my going forth under one who cannot answer the questions being considered in my mind? Since my kinsmen have many possessions, I shall now stay at home, enjoy the objects of desire, give donations, and make merit.” Yet this idea also occurred to him: “Now I shall go to the śramaṇa Gautama.”
When he had departed, he again thought, “For the time being, Pūraṇa Kāśyapa … and Nirgrantha Jñātiputra, who are aged śramaṇas and brahmins, did not know or understand the questions being considered in my mind. Needless to say, the śramaṇa Gautama, who is younger and has only recently gone forth, will not either.”
When he had started to turn back, he again thought, “I have heard from my teachers of conduct, who were old, aged, and elderly, former wandering mendicants, that one should not despise a young monk, one should not slight a young monk, since even a young monk can become one who has great force and great power.”132
He then went to the Blessed One. When he arrived, he considered the questions in his mind in front of the Blessed One: “How should I recognize a person who pretends to be a friend while he is not in fact a friend? . . . . How should I attain freedom from illness?”
The Blessed One, knowing the wandering mendicant Reed Merchant’s mind with his own mind, [F.21.b] then at that time spoke these verses:133
“You should know that such a person is a person who pretends to be a friend while he is not in fact a friend. How should you know a friend who loves you as much as himself?
“You should know such a person is a friend who loves you as much as himself. For the sake of what should you enter into renunciation?
“You should meditate, seeking it. How should you attain freedom from illness?
“You will attain freedom from illness in such a way.”
Then the wandering mendicant Reed Merchant thought, “My mind was known by the śramaṇa Gautama’s mind.” He said to the Blessed One, “Gautama, I wish to go forth and be ordained a monk in the well-taught Dharma and Vinaya. Blessed One, I will lead the pure life in the presence of the śramaṇa Gautama.”
The wandering mendicant Reed Merchant went forth and was ordained a monk in the well-taught Dharma and Vinaya. After having thus gone forth, the venerable … became an arhat whose mind had been completely liberated.134 [F.22.a]
“Certainly, O Honored One,” replied the venerable Ānanda to the Blessed One.
III. Veṇuyaṣṭikā135
Thereupon the Blessed One, together with the community of monks, stayed overnight at Veṇuyaṣṭikā, which was a residence of the king. Then the Blessed One said to the monks, “Monks, you and I have transmigrated through this difficult course because we did not know, see, comprehend, or realize the four truths of the noble ones. What are the four? You and I have transmigrated … because we did not know, see … the truth of the noble ones that is suffering. You and I have transmigrated … because we did not know, see … the truths of the noble ones that are the origination of suffering, the cessation of suffering,136 and the path to the cessation of suffering. Since I have cut off desire for existence through reflecting on and comprehending the truth of the noble ones that is suffering, my births have been exhausted and now I will have no further existence. Since I have cut off desire for existence through reflecting on and comprehending the truths of the noble ones that are the origination of suffering, the cessation of suffering, and the path to the cessation of suffering, my births have been exhausted and now I have no further existence.”
Thus spoke the Blessed One, and the monks rejoiced in and praised what the Blessed One had said.
IV. Pāṭali Village
A. The Sermon at Pāṭali Village
“Certainly, O Honored One,” replied the venerable Ānanda to the Blessed One.
The Blessed One, traveling through the country of Magadha, then arrived in Pāṭali Village. He stayed at the Pāṭalaka Shrine in Pāṭali Village.
When the brahmins and householders in Pāṭali Village heard that the Blessed One, traveling through the country of Magadha, had arrived in Pāṭali Village and was staying at the Pāṭalaka Shrine, they met together, flocked together, left Pāṭali Village, and went to the Blessed One. When they had arrived, they bowed low until their foreheads touched the Blessed One’s feet, and then they sat down to one side. When they had sat down to one side, the Blessed One said to the brahmins and householders in Pāṭali Village,138 “Brahmins and householders, these five are the faults of being careless. What are the five?
“Brahmins and householders, because of living carelessly, you will lose many possessions. Brahmins and householders, it is the first fault of being careless that, because of living carelessly, you will lose many possessions.
“Brahmins and householders, because of living carelessly, also your sinfulness, infamy, and bad name and reputation will be known in all directions. Brahmins and householders, [F.23.a] it is the second fault of being careless that, because of living carelessly, your sinfulness, infamy, and bad name and reputation will be known in all directions.
“Brahmins and householders, because of living carelessly, also to whatever assemblies you go, namely, to an assembly of kṣatriyas, to an assembly of brahmins, to an assembly of householders, or to an assembly of śramaṇas, you will go to the assembly being nervous, unhappy, and frightened. Brahmins and householders, it is the third fault of being careless that, because of living carelessly, to whatever assemblies you go … being … frightened.
“Brahmins and householders, because of living carelessly, also you will die full of regret. Brahmins and householders, it is the fourth fault of being careless that, because of living carelessly, you will die full of regret.
“Brahmins and householders, because of living carelessly, also after dying in a certain body you will descend to the inferior states, inferior modes of existence, and be born in hell. Brahmins and householders, it is the fifth fault of being careless that, because of living carelessly, after dying in a certain body you will descend to inferior states, inferior modes of existence, and be born in hell.
“Brahmins and householders, these five are the benefits of being careful. What are the five?
“Brahmins and householders, because of living carefully, you will not lose many possessions. [F.23.b] Brahmins and householders, it is the first benefit of being careful that, because of living carefully, you will not lose many possessions.
“Brahmins and householders, because of living carefully, also your goodness, fame, and good name and reputation will be known in all directions. Brahmins and householders, it is the second benefit of being careful that, because of living carefully, your goodness, fame, and good name and reputation will be known in all directions.