The Chapter on Medicines
Chapter Seven

The Blessed One arrived in Kimpilā and stayed in Kimpilā Forest.355

Thereupon the Blessed One said to the venerable Kimpila, “O Kimpila, I will teach you to meditate on the four applications of mindfulness. Listen to it well and keep it in mind; I shall teach it.”

When the Blessed One had said this, the venerable Kimpila remained silent. He remained so when the Blessed One said it a second time and a third time. Then the venerable Ānanda said to the venerable Kimpila, “Venerable [F.97.b] Kimpila, the Teacher is speaking to you.”

“I know, O Venerable Ānanda. I know well, O Venerable Ānanda.”

Then the venerable Ānanda said to the Blessed One, “O Blessed One, it is the right time. O Sugata, it is the right time. If the Blessed One teaches the monks to meditate on the four applications of mindfulness, the monks will listen to it and grasp it.”

“Ānanda, then listen to it well and keep it in mind; I shall teach it.

“Here a monk, in a village or town…356 when he has mindfully breathed in, he knows that he has breathed in . . . .357 He knows that he has breathed out, observing cessation.

“When a noble disciple, having mindfully breathed in, knows that he has mindfully breathed in … he knows that he has, with his bodily formations made supple, breathed out, observing the body in the body, the noble disciple dwells, observing the body in the body. When he thus dwells, the noble disciple knows that his mind is concentrated inwardly.

“Ānanda, suppose, for instance, a stūpa is built out of dirt at the crossroads of main streets and then someone roaming by vehicle, palanquin, or chariot comes there from the east. What do you think, Ānanda? Will the dirt stūpa disintegrate?”

“Yes, it will, O Honored One.”358

“In the same way, when a noble disciple learns that he has mindfully breathed in … he knows that his mind is concentrated inwardly.

“When a noble disciple, experiencing pleasure … knows that he has, with his mental formations [F.98.a] made supple, breathed out, observing perception in perception, the noble disciple dwells, observing perception in perception. When he thus dwells, the noble disciple knows that his mind is concentrated inwardly.

“Ānanda, suppose, for instance, a stūpa is built out of dirt at the crossroads of main streets and then someone roaming by vehicle, palanquin, or chariot comes there from the south … observing perception in perception. When he thus dwells, the noble disciple knows that his mind is concentrated inwardly.

“When a noble disciple has experienced his mind and breathed in, with his mind pleased, concentrated, and liberated, he knows that he has breathed in with his mind liberated; and, having breathed out with his mind liberated, he knows that he has breathed out with his mind liberated, and he dwells, observing his mind in his mind. When he thus dwells, the noble disciple knows that his mind is concentrated inwardly.”

(The parable of the stūpa and a vehicle, and so forth, from the west should be narrated here.)

“Because both his longing and despair have disappeared in his body, perception, and mind, he dwells in equanimity, observing mental objects in mental objects. When he thus dwells, the noble disciple knows that his mind is concentrated inwardly.

“Suppose, for instance, a stūpa is built out of dirt at the crossroads of main streets and then someone roaming by vehicle, palanquin, or chariot comes there from the north. Ānanda, what do you think? Will the dirt stūpa disintegrate?”

“Yes, it will, O Honored One.”

“In the same way … observing mental objects in mental objects. When he thus dwells, the noble disciple knows that his mind is concentrated inwardly. [F.98.b]

“Ānanda, if he is thus, he is said to have meditated on the four applications of mindfulness.”

Then the Blessed One arrived at a hamlet, wherein was the venerable Mahā­maudgalyāyana’s uncle, who had gone forth among ṛṣis. Since the Blessed One thought that the venerable Mahā­maudgalyāyana ought to convert this ṛṣi, he instructed the venerable Mahā­maudgalyāyana, “Maudgalyāyana, think about your uncle.”

“Certainly, O Honored One,” replied the venerable Mahā­maudgalyāyana to the Blessed One. He knew the time to convert his uncle had come and tried to enter the hermitage of the ṛṣis.

Then the ṛṣi said, “O śramaṇa, stop. You should not enter this hermitage of brahmins.”

“I am a brahmin, too,” replied the venerable Mahā­maudgalyāyana.

The ṛṣi then spoke a verse:

The venerable Mahā­maudgalyāyana spoke some verses in reply:

“Even if that is so,” said the ṛṣi, “a shaven-headed śramaṇa is not permitted here.”

Then the venerable Mahā­maudgalyāyana caused a storm. He went near a lake, approached a tree, and sat under it. There lived an attendant of the nāga kings Nanda and Upananda. The nāga thought, “This is the noble one Mahā­maudgalyāyana, whom the nāga kings Nanda and Upananda respect. Now I will make an effort to venerate him.” The nāga left his residence [F.99.a] and sat, encircling the venerable Mahā­maudgalyāyana’s body seven times and raising his hood over the venerable Mahā­maudgalyāyana’s head.

It is commonplace among ṛṣis that if one is not concerned about another’s pain, one ceases being a ṛṣi. Therefore, the ṛṣi thought, “If that mendicant dies in the storm and I cease being a ṛṣi, that would not be appropriate.” He then left the hermitage and tried to find him. He saw the venerable Mahā­maudgalyāyana and said, “O mendicant, enter our hermitage.”

“O great ṛṣi, did you cease being a ṛṣi?” asked the venerable Mahā­maudgalyāyana.

The ṛṣi recognized his voice and asked in return, “Are you the noble one Mahā­maudgalyāyana?”

“O ṛṣi, people know me thus.”

“O noble one, for what purpose did you come here?”

“I came for the very purpose of your conversion. Now let us go to the Blessed One.”

The venerable Mahā­maudgalyāyana then took his uncle to the Blessed One. When he had arrived, he bowed low until his forehead touched the Blessed One’s feet, and then he sat down to one side. The venerable Mahā­maudgalyāyana said to the Blessed One, “This is my uncle, who has gone forth among ṛṣis. The Blessed One should preach the Dharma for him.”

The Blessed One knew the ṛṣi’s thinking, proclivity, disposition, and nature and preached the Dharma that was appropriate for him. Having heard the Dharma, the ṛṣi actualized the fruit of a never-returner. He rose from his seat, draped his upper robe over one shoulder, made the gesture of supplication to the Blessed One, and said to him, “O Honored One, I wish to go forth and be ordained a monk in the well-taught Dharma and Vinaya. [F.99.b] I will lead the pure life in the presence of the Blessed One.”

The Blessed One ordained him by saying “Come, monk,” . . . .

When the venerable Mahā­maudgalyāyana had left, the nāga felt lonely and unhappy. He caused various epidemics in the hamlet and, dressed as a ṛṣi, went to the hermitage and dwelled there. Then the people of the hamlet came to the hermitage and said, “O great ṛṣi, such epidemics have befallen us. What should we do?”

“Come and stay in this place,” replied the ṛṣi, “and the epidemics will be quelled.”

The people of the hamlet then went to that place and dwelled there. Because the serpent (ahi) had served as an umbrella (chattra) there, the place became famous as Ahicchattra, and devout people built a monastery and provided it with all the requisites.

The Buddha, the Blessed One, arrived in Mathurā361 and stayed in the mango forest of practitioners undergoing training on the bank of the river Prabhadrikā.362

Then the Blessed One said to the monks, “Monks, you should rely on the island that is yourself, the refuge that is yourself, the island that is the Dharma, the refuge that is the Dharma, and not on other islands or other refuges. Monks, you should correctly learn that you should rely on the island that is yourself, the refuge that is yourself, the island that is the Dharma, the refuge that is the Dharma, and not on other islands or other refuges.363

“What are sorrow, lamentation, [F.100.a] pain, despair, and distress like? Being attached to something, people observe it as self, and hence, on account of it, sorrow, lamentation, pain, despair, and distress that have not yet arisen will arise for these people, and such things that have already arisen will increase and grow. Why is this?”

“O Honored One, since the Blessed One is the root of the Dharma, the Blessed One is the Leader, and the Blessed One is the Teacher, may the Blessed One teach the meaning of this to the monks. The monks will listen to it from the Blessed One and grasp it.”

“O monks, then listen to it well and keep it in mind; I shall teach it.

“O monks, when there are visual objects and people are attached to visual objects and observe visual objects as self, sorrow, lamentation, pain, despair, and distress that have not yet arisen will arise for these people, and such things that have already arisen will increase and grow.

“O monks, when there are feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness, and people are attached to consciousness and observe consciousness as self, sorrow, lamentation, pain, despair, and distress that have not yet arisen will arise for these people, and such things that have already arisen will increase and grow.364

“O monks, look . . . . When … he knows that he has breathed in, observing perception in perception, the noble disciple dwells, observing perception in perception. When he thus dwells, the noble disciple knows that his mind is concentrated inwardly. [F.100.b]

“Suppose, for instance, Ānanda,365 a stūpa is built out of dirt at the crossroads of main streets and then someone roaming by vehicle, palanquin, or chariot comes there from the south … observing perception in perception. When he thus dwells, the noble disciple knows that his mind is concentrated inwardly.

“When a noble disciple knows that he has experienced his mind and breathed in, with his mind pleased, concentrated, and liberated, and, having breathed out with his mind liberated, knows that he has breathed out with his mind liberated and observes his mind in his mind, the noble disciple dwells, observing his mind in his mind. When he thus dwells, the noble disciple knows that his mind is concentrated inwardly.”

(The parable of the stūpa and a vehicle, and so forth, from the west should be narrated here.)

“Because both his longing and despair have disappeared in the body, perception, and mind, he dwells in equanimity, observing mental objects in mental objects. When he thus dwells, the noble disciple knows that his mind is concentrated inwardly.

“Ānanda, what do you think? Suppose, for instance, a stūpa is built out of dirt at the crossroads of main streets and then someone roaming by vehicle, palanquin, or chariot comes there from the north, will the dirt stūpa disintegrate?

“Yes, it will, O Honored One.”

“In the same way … observing mental objects in mental objects. When he thus dwells, the noble disciple knows that the inner concentration of mind exists.

“Ānanda, if he is thus, he is said to have meditated on the four applications of mindfulness.”

The Blessed One, traveling through the country of Kuru,367 arrived in Sthūlakoṣṭhaka, [F.101.a] and stayed in Sthūlakoṣṭhaka Forest near Sthūlakoṣṭhaka.

When the brahmins and householders in Sthūlakoṣṭhaka heard that the Blessed One, traveling through the country of Kuru, had arrived in Sthūlakoṣṭhaka and was staying in Sthūlakoṣṭhaka Forest near Sthūlakoṣṭhaka, they met together, flocked together, left Sthūlakoṣṭhaka, and went to the Blessed One. Upon their arrival, 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, through talk consistent with the Dharma, instructed, inspired, encouraged, and delighted the brahmins and householders in Sthūlakoṣṭhaka. [B34]

At that time, a householder’s son named Rāṣṭrapāla was sitting in the assembly. Rāṣṭrapāla, the son of a householder, thought, “If I correctly understand the meaning of what the Blessed One has said, it is difficult for laymen, who live at home, to lead the pure life, which is totally pure, unmixed, complete, completely pure, and clean, throughout their lives. Now I will go forth from my home into homelessness with true faith, having shaved off my hair and beard and donned saffron robes.”

After the Blessed One had instructed, inspired, encouraged, and delighted the brahmins and householders in Sthūlakoṣṭhaka in a variety of ways through talk consistent with the Dharma, he remained silent. [F.101.b] The brahmins and householders in Sthūlakoṣṭhaka then rejoiced in and praised the words of the Blessed One. They bowed low until their foreheads touched the Blessed One’s feet, and then departed from the Blessed One’s presence.

As soon as the brahmins and householders in Sthūlakoṣṭhaka had departed, Rāṣṭrapāla, the son of a householder, rose from his seat, draped his upper robe over one shoulder, made the gesture of supplication to the Blessed One, and said to him, “O Honored One, I wish to go forth and be ordained a monk in the well-taught Dharma and Vinaya. I will lead the pure life in the presence of the Blessed One.”

“O son of a householder, have your parents permitted it?”

“No, they have not, O Honored One.”

“O son of a householder, the Tathāgata and the disciples of the Tathāgata neither let anyone go forth nor ordain him while he does not have his parents’ permission.”

“In that case, O Honored One, I will try to gain permission from my parents.”

Then Rāṣṭrapāla, the son of a householder, praised and was delighted at the words of the Blessed One and went home. When he had arrived, he said to his parents, “Father, Mother, please be informed that I will go forth from my home into homelessness with true faith.”

“Our son Rāṣṭrapāla, understand this: You are our only, dear, sweet, darling son, who has never disobeyed us. If you die, we will have to part from you unwillingly. But where would we let you go while you are still alive?”

“Father, Mother, if you permit this right now, that’s fine. But if you do not permit this, I will neither have a meal nor pay obeisance to you from today onward.”

Then Rāṣṭrapāla, the son of a householder, [F.102.a] fasted for a day. After that, he fasted for two days, for three days‍—all the way to seven days. Then the parents of Rāṣṭrapāla said to him, “Our son Rāṣṭrapāla, understand this: You are delicate,368 you desire comfort, and you have not known pain. It is difficult to lead the pure life, it is difficult to practice in complete seclusion, it is difficult to rejoice in solitude, and it is unbearable to live in a dwelling in the wilderness, in a forest, or on the outskirts of a town. Stay here, our son Rāṣṭrapāla, and enjoy the objects of desire, give donations, and make merit.”

Even when told this, Rāṣṭrapāla, the son of a householder, remained silent. The parents of Rāṣṭrapāla then asked their relatives for help: “O relatives, make our son Rāṣṭrapāla come to his senses at once.”

Then the relatives of Rāṣṭrapāla, the son of a householder, went to Rāṣṭrapāla. When they had arrived, they said to him, “Son Rāṣṭrapāla, understand this: You are delicate; you desire comfort…, and make merit.”

Even when told this, Rāṣṭrapāla, the son of a householder, remained silent. Then the parents of Rāṣṭrapāla asked Rāṣṭrapāla’s friends for help: “O sons, make our son Rāṣṭrapāla come to his senses at once.”

Then the friends of Rāṣṭrapāla, the son of a householder, said to Rāṣṭrapāla, “Good son Rāṣṭrapāla, understand this: You are delicate; you desire comfort…, and make merit.”

Even when told this, Rāṣṭrapāla, the son of a householder, remained silent. Then [F.102.b] the friends said to the parents of Rāṣṭrapāla, “Father and mother, what use is there in letting this son Rāṣṭrapāla die? Permit him to go forth. Then, if he rejoices in the pure life, you will be able to see him alive; if he does not rejoice in it, to whom will the son go but to his parents?”

“Sons, if he lets us see him after he has gone forth, we will permit this.”

Then the friends said to Rāṣṭrapāla, the son of a householder, “Good son Rāṣṭrapāla, be informed that your parents permit this. They say, ‘If our son lets us see him after he has gone forth.’ ”

“Sirs, I will let them see me.”