The Hundred Deeds
Part One

[F.2.a] When the Blessed One was in Śrāvastī there lived a certain householder, prosperous and wealthy, a person of vast and magnificent means, endowed with the wealth of Vaiśravaṇa‍—with wealth to rival Vaiśravaṇa’s‍—who was fond of philosophical extremists.

When the time came for him to marry he took a wife, and they enjoyed themselves and coupled. As they enjoyed themselves and coupled, one day his wife conceived. After nine or ten months had passed, she gave birth to a child who was well proportioned, pleasing to the eye, and beautiful, with glowing, golden skin, a well-rounded head, long arms, a broad brow, a fine and prominent nose, and eyebrows that met. At the elaborate feast celebrating his birth they named him according to their clan.

They reared him on milk, yogurt, butter, ghee, and milk solids, and he flourished like a lotus in a lake. Once he was able to walk, his father brought home a little puppy for him to play with. Any time the puppy saw philosophical extremists, she would run and bite at them, sometimes tearing their robes. But when she saw Buddhist monastics she would trot up, lick their feet, and circumambulate them clockwise while wagging her tail.

The buddhas, the blessed ones, teachers of the one path to be traversed, with mastery over wisdom and the two types of knowable objects, in command of the three kinds of sterling equanimity, fearless by means of the fourfold fearlessness, [F.2.b] freed from migration through the five destinies, keen in the six sense bases, practiced in the seven limbs of enlightenment, focused on the eight liberations, absorbed in the nine successive meditative absorptions, possessing all ten of the ten powers, whose proclamations are the great roaring of a perfect lion, by nature regard the world with their buddha eyes six times throughout the day and night‍—three times by day and three times by night.

These are their thoughts as they look out in wisdom: “Who is in decline? Who will flourish? Who is destitute? Who is in a dreadful state? Who is being harmed? Who is destitute, in a dreadful state, and being harmed? Who is veering toward the lower realms? Who is descending through the lower realms? Who has descended to the lower realms? Whom shall I pull up from the lower realms, and establish in the resultant state of heaven and liberation? Whom, mired in misdeeds, shall I lift up by the hand?27 Whom, lacking the seven jewels of the noble ones, shall I lead to command of the seven jewels of the noble ones? Whom, not having produced roots of virtue, shall I lead to produce them? Whom, having already produced roots of virtue, shall I lead to ripen their roots of virtue? Whom, having already ripened their roots of virtue, shall I slice open with the blade of wisdom? For whom shall I cause this world, adorned with a buddha’s presence, to be fruitful?”28

Just as the buddhas, the blessed ones, regard the world with their buddha eyes six times throughout the day and night‍—three times by day and three times by night‍—so too the great disciples of the buddhas regard the world with disciples’ eyes six times throughout the day and night‍—three times by day and three times by night. When Venerable Śāriputra regarded the world with his disciple’s eyes, he knew that the time had come to tame the householder and his retinue. In the morning he donned his lower garment and Dharma robes, and, carrying his alms bowl, he went for alms in Śrāvastī. [F.3.a]

As he went for alms, Śāriputra eventually came to the home of that householder. As soon as the dog saw him from a distance, she jumped up and ran right up to Śāriputra, just as she had with the other monks. She very respectfully licked his feet and circumambulated him three times while wagging her tail.

The householder saw all this and thought, “My! This one has fallen so low as to possess the body of a dog. If even she thinks to pay him such esteem, then surely this monk is a great being. I should invite this monk and offer him food.” Reflecting in this way he approached Venerable Śāriputra, bowed down at Śāriputra’s feet, and said, “Lord Śāriputra, whatever food you need, please take it here.” Venerable Śāriputra assented by his silence.

Understanding that by his silence Venerable Śāriputra had given his assent, the householder then prepared a seat for Venerable Śāriputra and said, “Venerable Śāriputra, please sit upon the seat that I have prepared,” whereupon Venerable Śāriputra sat on the seat prepared for him.

Once the householder knew that Venerable Śāriputra was comfortably seated, by his own hand he contented him with many good, wholesome foods, proffering all that he wished. After he had contented him with many different kinds of good, wholesome foods by his own hand, and had proffered all that he wished, once he knew that Venerable Śāriputra had finished eating and that his bowl had been taken away and his hands washed, he sat before him to listen to the Dharma.

Venerable Śāriputra directly apprehended the thoughts, habitual tendencies, temperament, and nature of the householder and his retinue, and taught them the Dharma accordingly.

When they heard it, the householder and his retinue destroyed with the thunderbolt of wisdom the twenty high peaks of the mountain of views concerning the transitory collection, [F.3.b] and manifested the resultant state of stream entry. Having seen the truths,29 they went for refuge and took the fundamental precepts. After Venerable Śāriputra had instructed, encouraged, inspired, and delighted the householder with a discourse on the Dharma, he rose from his seat and departed.

Having seen the truths, the householder began to give gifts and make merit such that his home became like an open well for those in need. The householder invited Śāriputra to take food at his home again and again. Venerable Śāriputra and the householder would give food to the dog, and the householder would sit before Venerable Śāriputra to listen to the Dharma. The dog too would sit down before Venerable Śāriputra and listen to the Dharma. The householder reflected, “Such good things I have realized, and all on account of this dog!” Realizing this, he took very good care of her.

One day the dog fell ill, and Śāriputra said to her, “And so it is, child: All conditioned things are impermanent. All conditioned things are suffering. All phenomena are selfless. Nirvāṇa is peace. Let your mind be filled with joy at the thought of me, and you may even be released from rebirth in the animal realm.” With that, Venerable Śāriputra departed.

Not long after he had gone, the dog died, filled with joy at the thought of Venerable Śāriputra. After she died, she took rebirth in the same house, in the womb of the householder’s foremost wife.

When the dog died, Venerable Śāriputra returned to the house, where the householder informed him, “Lord Śāriputra, our dog has passed away.”

“Keep the dog’s body in a secluded place,” Venerable Śāriputra instructed, “for those bones will be of benefit to her later on.” [F.4.a]

“As you wish, Lord Śāriputra,” said the householder, and the householder put the dog’s dead body in a place where no one would see it.

After nine or ten months had passed, the householder’s wife gave birth to a child who was well proportioned, pleasing to the eye, and beautiful, with glowing, golden skin and a well-rounded head, long arms, a broad brow, a fine and prominent nose, and eyebrows that met. At the elaborate feast celebrating her birth they named her according to their clan. They reared her on milk, yogurt, butter, ghee, and milk solids, and she flourished like a lotus in a lake.

When she had grown, Venerable Śāriputra told her, “Child, sit and listen to the Dharma,” but she had become arrogant on account of her well-proportioned shape and youthfulness, and was so distracted that she was unable to listen to the Dharma. One day Venerable Śāriputra recognized how to uncover her potential. He set the bones of the dog in front of her, and blessed the young woman in such a way that she remembered her former lives.

Recalling her former lives, the young woman was overcome with grief and thought, “Look at the difficult task Noble Śāriputra has done for me! Thanks to him I have been freed from the realms of animal birth.” At this thought she was filled with happiness, and sat before Venerable Śāriputra to listen to the Dharma.

Then Venerable Śāriputra, directly apprehending her thoughts, habitual tendencies, temperament, and nature, taught her the Dharma accordingly. Hearing it, the young woman destroyed with the thunderbolt of wisdom the twenty high peaks of the mountain of views concerning the transitory collection, and manifested the resultant state of stream entry right where she sat.

Having seen the truths, she rose from her seat, drew down the right shoulder of her upper garment, bowed to Venerable Śāriputra with her palms together, [F.4.b] and implored him, “Lord Śāriputra, if permitted, I wish to go forth in the Dharma and Vinaya so well spoken, complete my novitiate, and achieve full ordination. I too wish to practice the holy life in the presence of the Blessed One.”

Venerable Śāriputra told her parents of her faith and then presented her to Mahā­prajāpatī, who led her to go forth as a novice, ordained her, and gave her instruction. Casting away all afflictive emotions through diligence, practice, and effort, she manifested arhatship. As an arhat, free of the attachments of the three realms, her mind regarded gold no differently than filth, and the palms of her hands as like space itself. She became cool like wet sandalwood. Her insight crushed ignorance like an eggshell. She achieved the insights, superknowledges, and discriminations. She had no regard for worldly profit, passion, or acclaim. She became an object of offering, veneration, and respectful address by Indra, Upendra, and the other gods.

Now an arhat, she remembered Venerable Śāriputra’s previous kindness and approached him again and again, prostrating herself at his feet and saying, “Thanks to Noble Śāriputra, I was freed from the realms of animal birth and achieved great virtues. It is all due to the difficult task the noble one has done for me.”

Many monks overheard her saying this over and over again, and immediately asked Venerable Śāriputra, “Venerable Śāriputra, what is this nun thinking, saying this over and over again?”

“Did you see the puppy at the householder’s home?” Venerable Śāriputra asked.

“Yes, Lord Śāriputra, we did,” they replied.

“The very same one died filled with joy at the thought of me and was reborn in the home of that householder. [F.5.a] Now that she remembers her former lives, she speaks these words to me to acknowledge that previous kindness.”

The monks inquired of the Blessed One, “Lord, what was the action this nun performed that ripened into her birth as a dog? What did she do after she died and took rebirth as a human being that she pleased and did not displease the Blessed One, went forth in the Blessed One’s doctrine, cast away all afflictive emotions, and manifested arhatship?”

The Blessed One replied, “Monks, it was partly her past actions, and it is partly her present actions as well.”

“Lord, what action did she take in the past?”

“Monks, in times past, in this fortunate eon, when people lived as long as twenty thousand years and the tathāgata, the arhat, the totally and completely awakened buddha possessed of insight and perfect conduct, the sugata, the knower of the world, the tamer of persons, the charioteer, the unsurpassed one, the teacher of humans and gods, the blessed buddha known as Kāśyapa was in the world, there lived a certain householder in the city of Vārāṇasī.

“One day a child was born to him who was well proportioned, pleasing to the eye, and beautiful. As she grew up she gained faith in the doctrine of the totally and completely awakened Buddha Kāśyapa and asked her parents if she could go forth. Once she had gone forth, she studied the Tripiṭaka and became a proponent of the Dharma with all the eloquence of her wisdom and freedom.

“Having acquired provisions of clothing, food, bedding, a seat, and medicines for the sick, she thought, ‘How wonderful! With all the profit and acclaim I’ve gained, I can see to the welfare of fellow practitioners of the holy life.’ And she served the twofold saṅgha30 in accordance with the Dharma.

“One day when she was busy, she [F.5.b] asked for help from a group of nuns who were on the paths of learning and no more to learn. They replied, ‘We cannot abandon our virtuous works to accomplish your task.’

“When she heard this she bristled with fury. Seething, the nun shouted at them, ‘You’re like dogs! All I do is look after you and fill your stomachs‍—can you not help me for even a moment?’

“Thereupon the nuns thought, ‘It’s not right for this emotionally afflicted person, so abased, to circle in saṃsāra and meet with great suffering.’ Reflecting in this way, they thought, ‘We have to help her,’ and asked, ‘Do you know who we are? And do you know who you yourself are?’

“ ‘I know,’ she replied, ‘that you have gone forth, as have I.’

“The nuns responded, ‘Though as your elder sisters we have gone forth as you have, you are an ordinary person, bound by every fetter, whereas we have accomplished our task. So acknowledge your mistake as such. Otherwise you are certain to roam in saṃsāra and meet with great suffering.’

“Hearing their words, the nun was flooded with regret, and with renewed vigor she offered her respectful service to the twofold saṅgha and practiced pure conduct all her life.

“At the time of her death, she prayed, ‘Oh, but by the root of virtue of my having gone forth in the doctrine of the totally and completely awakened Buddha Kāśyapa, my lifetime of practicing pure conduct, and the service I rendered in accord with the Dharma, wherever I am born, may it be into a family of great means, prosperity, and wealth. May I be well proportioned, pleasing to the eye, and beautiful. May I please and not displease Uttara, the young brahmin prophesied by the totally and completely awakened Buddha Kāśyapa to be the next blessed buddha. [F.6.a] Going forth in his doctrine alone, may I cast away all afflictive emotions and manifest arhatship. May I not meet with the results of the act of speaking harshly to those fellow practitioners of the holy life.’

“O monks, what do you think? The one who was that nun then is now this nun. The ripening of the act of speaking harshly to those fellow practitioners of the holy life caused her to be reborn as a dog for five hundred lifetimes. At the time of her death she prayed, ‘Wherever I am born, may it be into a family of great means, prosperity, and wealth. May I please and not displease Uttara, the young brahmin prophesied by the totally and completely awakened Buddha Kāśyapa to be the next blessed buddha. Going forth in his doctrine alone, may I cast away all afflictive emotions and manifest arhatship.’ And that action ripened such that she was born into a family of great means, prosperity, and wealth.

“So it is, monks, now that I myself have become the very equal of the totally and completely awakened Buddha Kāśyapa‍—equal in strength, equal in deeds, and equal in skillful means‍—that she has pleased me, not displeased me, go forth in my very doctrine, cast away all afflictive emotions, and manifested arhatship. These were her past actions.

“You may ask, ‘What are her present actions?’ Born as a dog, she was filled with joy at the thought of Śāriputra. Because of this she took birth among humans. These are her present actions.”

When the Blessed One was in Śrāvastī there lived a certain householder, prosperous and wealthy, a person of vast and magnificent means, [F.6.b] endowed with the wealth of Vaiśravaṇa‍—with wealth to rival Vaiśravaṇa’s. When the time came for him to marry he took a wife, and as they enjoyed themselves and coupled, one day his wife conceived. After nine or ten months had passed, she gave birth to a child who was well proportioned, pleasing to the eye, and beautiful. At the elaborate feast celebrating his birth they named him according to their clan.

They reared him on milk, yogurt, butter, ghee, and milk solids, and once he was able to walk, his father brought home a puppy and gave it to the child to play with. The child taught the puppy how to eat, and when the puppy had grown, he went out to the road and many others fed him as well.

The buddhas, the blessed ones, teachers of the one path to be traversed, with mastery over wisdom and the two types of knowable objects, in command of the three kinds of sterling equanimity, fearless by means of the fourfold fearlessness, freed from migration through the five destinies, keen in the six sense bases, practiced in the seven limbs of enlightenment, focused on the eight liberations, absorbed in the nine successive meditative absorptions, possessing all ten of the ten powers, whose proclamations are the great roaring of a perfect lion, by nature regard the world with their buddha eyes six times throughout the day and night‍—three times by day and three times by night.

These are their thoughts as they look out in wisdom: “Who is in decline? Who will flourish? Who is destitute? Who is in a dreadful state? Who is being harmed? Who is destitute, in a dreadful state, and being harmed? Who is veering toward the lower realms? Who is descending through the lower realms? Who has descended to the lower realms? Whom shall I pull up from the lower realms, and establish in the resultant state of heaven and liberation? Whom, mired in misdeeds, shall I lift up by the hand? Whom, lacking the seven jewels of the noble ones, [F.7.a] shall I lead to command of the seven jewels of the noble ones? Whom, not having produced roots of virtue, shall I lead to produce them? Whom, having already produced roots of virtue, shall I lead to ripen their roots of virtue? Whom, having already ripened their roots of virtue, shall I slice open with the blade of wisdom? For whom shall I cause this world, adorned with a buddha’s presence, to be fruitful?”

Just as the blessed buddhas regard the world with their buddha eyes six times throughout the day and night‍—three times by day and three times by night‍—so too the great listeners regard the world with their listener’s eyes six times throughout the day and night‍—three times by day and three times by night. When Venerable Śāriputra regarded the world with his listener’s eyes, he knew that the time had come to tame the householder and his retinue.

In the morning he donned his lower garment and Dharma robes, and, carrying his alms bowl, he went for alms in Śrāvastī. As he went for alms, Venerable Śāriputra eventually came to the home of that householder. The dog caught sight of Venerable Śāriputra, ran with all his might, bit him, and tore his Dharma robes. The householder saw this and immediately stopped the dog. When he had washed Venerable Śāriputra’s wounds and wrapped them with cloth, he bowed down at his feet and implored him, “Lord Śāriputra, please take your food here.” Venerable Śāriputra assented to the householder by his silence.

Understanding that by his silence Venerable Śāriputra had given his assent, the householder then prepared a seat for him and said, “Venerable Śāriputra, please sit upon the seat that I have prepared,” and Venerable Śāriputra [F.7.b] sat on the seat prepared for him. Once the householder knew that Venerable Śāriputra was comfortably seated, by his own hand he contented him with many good, wholesome foods, proffering all that he wished.

After the householder had contented him with many different kinds of good, wholesome foods by his own hand, and had proffered all that he wished, Venerable Śāriputra partook of the day’s meal and gave his remaining food to the dog. When he had finished eating it, the dog looked up at Venerable Śāriputra’s face. Once the householder knew that Venerable Śāriputra had finished eating and that his bowl had been taken away and his hands washed, he sat before him to listen to the Dharma.

Venerable Śāriputra directly apprehended the thoughts, habitual tendencies, temperament, and nature of the householder and his retinue, and taught them the Dharma accordingly. After hearing it, the householder and his retinue destroyed with the thunderbolt of wisdom the twenty high peaks of the mountain of views concerning the transitory collection, and manifested the resultant state of stream entry right where they sat. Having seen the truths, they went for refuge and took the fundamental precepts.

“Lord Śāriputra,” said the householder, “for as long as I live, please accept from me your provisions of clothing, food, bedding, seat, and medicines to cure the sick.”

Śāriputra replied, “There are other householders I must help as well. Please allow me to go.” At this, he rose from his seat and departed.

After the householder had seen the truths, gone for refuge, and taken the fundamental precepts, he began to give gifts and make merit. From time to time he would also extend an invitation to Venerable Śāriputra and make food for him. After eating, Venerable Śāriputra would give the remaining food to the dog.

The dog was very happy with Venerable Śāriputra. He was so happy that whenever Venerable [F.8.a] Śāriputra came to the house, he greeted him, licked his feet, and circumambulated him three times while wagging his tail. Whenever Venerable Śāriputra came to give a Dharma talk and the time came for him to leave, the dog escorted him a little distance, then circumambulated him three times before he went away.

One day Venerable Śāriputra came to the house again, took his food, and gave a Dharma talk to the householder. As he was departing, the dog followed him outside onto the main road, licked his feet, and circumambulated him three times while wagging his tail. As the dog was returning to the house, some other dogs tore him apart, killing him. He died filled with joy at the thought of the elder monk Śāriputra, transmigrated, and took rebirth in the same house, in the womb of the householder’s wife.

Venerable Śāriputra knew just how the dog had been killed by the other dogs after they had parted. He contemplated where the dog would take rebirth, and saw that it would be in the same house, in the womb of the householder’s wife. Upon seeing this, out of love for the dog he went to the householder’s home alone, without attendants.

The householder saw that Venerable Śāriputra was alone, without companions or attendants, and he inquired, “Noble one, why have you come here alone, without companions or attendants? Noble one, is there no one at all who could attend you?”

“Where shall we find attendants, if one such as yourself does not grant them to us?” replied Venerable Śāriputra.

The householder said to him, “Lord Śāriputra, my wife has conceived, so if we have a son, noble one, I shall offer him to you as an attendant.”

“The virtuous [F.8.b] keep their promises,” said Venerable Śāriputra. Having spoken thus, Venerable Śāriputra departed.

After nine or ten months had passed, the householder’s wife gave birth to a child who was well proportioned, pleasing to the eye, and beautiful, though his eyes were small. At the elaborate feast celebrating his birth they asked, “What name should we give this child?” And they named him, saying, “Since the child’s eyes are small, his name will be Little Eyes.”

They reared young Little Eyes on milk, yogurt, butter, ghee, and milk solids, and he flourished like a lotus in a lake. As he grew up he studied letters, tallying, and arithmetic; the study of seals, lending, deposits, and commerce;31 and the examination of cloth, jewels, gems, incense, medicine, elephants, horses, and arms and armor. He became skilled in writing, skilled at reading, learned, decisive, industrious, a master of the eight types of examination.

One day Venerable Śāriputra saw that the time had come for Little Eyes to go forth. In the morning he donned his lower garment and Dharma robes, and, carrying his alms bowl, he went for alms in Śrāvastī. As he went for alms, he eventually came to the householder’s home, and there sat on the seat prepared for him.

After he had taken his seat, Venerable Śāriputra reminded the householder, “Householder, before this child was born you granted him to me as an attendant. The virtuous keep their promises, do they not? Didn’t you yourself make such a promise?”

“Yes, noble one, I did make just such a promise,” the householder replied, and he took the child by his two hands, offered him to Venerable Śāriputra, and told him, “Child, before you were born, I offered you to the noble one. [F.9.a] Therefore go, and be an attendant of the noble one.”

The child said, “This will be of benefit to me,” and with those words he followed Venerable Śāriputra away.

Venerable Śāriputra brought the child to the monastery, where he led him to go forth as a novice and instructed him. Still in his novitiate, the child cast away all afflictive emotions through diligence, practice, and effort, and manifested arhatship. As an arhat, free from the attachments of the three realms, his mind regarded gold no differently than filth, and the palms of his hands as like space itself. He became cool like wet sandalwood. His insight crushed ignorance like an eggshell. He achieved the insights, superknowledges, and discriminations. He had no regard for worldly profit, passion, or acclaim. He became an object of offering, veneration, and respectful address by Indra, Upendra, and the other gods.

One time after he had attained arhatship, he saw scars on Venerable Śāriputra’s feet as he was anointing them and asked, “Preceptor, how did you get these scars?”

“Child,” Venerable Śāriputra told him, “think on how I got these scars.”

“I see it was I who bit him in a previous life as a dog,” thought the novice. “And I see the life from which I died, transmigrated, and took rebirth as a dog.” He saw that he had died and taken rebirth as that dog, and he also saw that for five hundred lifetimes he had died as a dog, transmigrated, and taken rebirth only as a dog.

He thought, “Had my preceptor not thought of me, where would I have taken rebirth in the future when I died there and transmigrated?” Reflecting in this way, he saw himself taking birth again as that very dog. In the same way he saw himself for five hundred future lives [F.9.b] dying, transmigrating, and taking birth over and over only as a dog.

“It was he who saved me from falling so low!” he thought further. “By establishing me in the unsurpassed, supreme welfare of nirvāṇa,32 my preceptor undertook a difficult task for me, over and over again. What method is there to repay the kindness of one’s preceptor, other than service and respect? When I take full ordination I won’t be able to offer such service‍—but oh! By remaining a novice for as long as I live I can continue to serve him respectfully.”

With this in mind, he said to Venerable Śāriputra, “Preceptor, for as long as I live I shall serve my preceptor with respect,” and Śāriputra replied, “Do as you wish, my child.”

One day the monks asked him, “Little Eyes, why don’t you take full ordination?”

“I must repay the kindness of my preceptor,” he told them. “By remaining a novice for as long as I live, I shall be able to serve him respectfully.”

“What particular kindness did your preceptor do for you?” they asked.

He told the monks the story in detail, whereupon the monks inquired of the Blessed Buddha, “Lord, what action did Little Eyes take that ripened into his birth as a dog, such that, if Venerable Śāriputra had not thought of him, he would have taken rebirth only as a dog for five hundred lifetimes, and what action did he take that once he had died as a dog he transmigrated and took birth once again as a human into a family of great means, prosperity, and wealth? What action did he take that he pleased the Blessed One, did not displease him, went forth in the doctrine of the Blessed One, cast away all afflictive emotions, and manifested arhatship? What action did he take that ripened into his having small eyes?”

“Monks,” explained [F.10.a] the Blessed One, “Little Eyes committed and accumulated the actions himself at a previous time. Monks, the actions that he committed and accumulated did not ripen into the external element of earth. They did not ripen into the element of water, nor the element of fire, nor the element of wind. The actions he committed and accumulated, both virtuous and nonvirtuous, ripened into nothing but his own aggregates, sense bases, and constituent elements.

“Monks, in times past, in this fortunate eon, when people lived as long as twenty thousand years and the tathāgata, the arhat, the totally and completely awakened buddha possessed of insight and perfect conduct, the sugata, the knower of the world, the tamer of persons, the charioteer, the unsurpassed one, the teacher of humans and gods, the blessed buddha known as Kāśyapa was in the world, there lived in the city of Vārāṇasī a certain householder, prosperous and wealthy, a person of vast and magnificent means, endowed with the wealth of Vaiśravaṇa‍—with wealth to rival Vaiśravaṇa’s.

“One day his wife conceived, and after nine or ten months had passed, she gave birth to a child who was well proportioned, pleasing to the eye, and beautiful. When he grew up he found faith in the doctrine of the totally and completely awakened Buddha Kāśyapa, and after asking for his parents’ permission, went forth.

“Once he had gone forth, he studied the Tripiṭaka and became a proponent of the Dharma with all the eloquence of his wisdom and freedom. Having acquired provisions of clothing, food, bedding, a seat, and medicines for the sick, he thought to himself, ‘How wonderful! With all the profit and acclaim I’ve gained, I can see to the welfare of fellow practitioners of the holy life.’ [F.10.b] And he served the twofold saṅgha in accordance with the Dharma.

“One evening, one of his duties, that of serving the evening drink, fell instead to an arhat monk. After distributing the evening drink to the saṅgha, the arhat was weary, so he went to his quarters, crossed his legs, and sat down.

“The evening drink still needed to be served to the benefactors, who began to ask the other monks, ‘Whose turn is it today to serve the evening drink?’

“They replied that today it was the monk so-and-so’s turn. The one who was normally appointed to serve them, seething, closed his eyes as if asleep and said, ‘It’s the one whose eyes are like this‍—I’ll find him!’

“Having said this, he went to the arhat and said, ‘Lord, for your sake I’ve pleased all our benefactors and patrons, and respectfully served your every need. Now that you’ve enjoyed all I’ve given you in faith, do you come home to sit and sleep like a dog?’

“Thereupon the arhat thought, ‘It’s not right for this emotionally afflicted person, who has become so abased, to circle in saṃsāra and meet with great suffering.’ Reflecting in this way, he thought, ‘I have to help him.’

“With this thought he said to the monk, ‘Lord, do you know who I am? And do you know who you yourself are?’

“ ‘I know that you have gone forth,’ he replied, ‘as have I.’

“ ‘Though we two are like brothers in having gone forth,’ the arhat said, ‘you are an ordinary person, bound by every fetter, whereas I am an arhat, liberated from every fetter. You’ve spoken harshly to me. You must acknowledge your mistake. Otherwise you are certain to roam in saṃsāra and meet with great suffering.’

“Hearing his words, the monk was flooded with great regret. [F.11.a] He bowed down at the monk’s feet, asked his forgiveness, and with renewed vigor offered his respectful service to the Buddha, Dharma, and Saṅgha. All his life, he practiced pure conduct and served the saṅgha in accord with the Dharma.

“At the time of his death, he prayed, ‘Oh, but by the root of virtue of my having gone forth in the doctrine of the totally and completely awakened Buddha Kāśyapa, my practice of pure conduct all my life, and the service I rendered in accord with the Dharma, wherever I am born, may it be into a family of great means, prosperity, and wealth! May I please and not displease Uttara, the young brahmin prophesied by the totally and completely awakened Buddha Kāśyapa to be the next blessed buddha. Going forth in his doctrine alone, may I cast away all afflictive emotions and manifest arhatship. May I not meet with the results of the wrongful act of speaking harshly to fellow practitioners of the holy life.’

“O monks, what do you think? The one who was of service then is now the novice Little Eyes. The act of speaking harshly to the arhat ripened such that for five hundred lifetimes he took rebirth as a dog, and had the monk Śāriputra not thought of him, he would have taken rebirth only as a dog for five hundred more lifetimes.

“The act of becoming angry, closing his eyes in imitation of the arhat, and saying, ‘It’s the one whose eyes are like this‍—I’ll find him!’ ripened into his birth as a human being whose eyes were just like that. The act of praying at that time, ‘By this root of virtue, wherever I am born, may it be into a family of great means, prosperity, and wealth. May I please and not displease Uttara, the young brahmin prophesied by the totally and completely awakened Buddha Kāśyapa [F.11.b] to be the next blessed buddha. Going forth in his doctrine alone, may I cast away all afflictive emotions and manifest arhatship,’ ripened such that he was born into a family of great means, prosperity, and wealth.

“So it is, monks, now that I myself have become the very equal of the totally and completely awakened Buddha Kāśyapa‍—equal in strength, equal in deeds, and equal in skillful means‍—that he has pleased me, not displeased me, go forth in my very doctrine, cast away all afflictive emotions, and manifested arhatship.”

When the Blessed One was in Śrāvastī, there lived a certain householder, prosperous and wealthy, a person of vast and magnificent means, endowed with the wealth of Vaiśravaṇa‍—with wealth to rival Vaiśravaṇa’s. When the time came for him to marry he took a wife, and they enjoyed themselves and coupled. But even though they enjoyed themselves and coupled, they had no children.

They desired a son, so the householder supplicated the gods. He prayed to Paśupati, Varuṇa, Kubera, Śakra, Brahmā, and the rest, and to the deities of the pleasure groves, the forest deities, the deities of the crossroads, the deities of forks in the road, the deities who receive strewn oblations, the deities of his inherited tradition, and the deities who are in constant attendance of righteous persons.

While it is often said that praying to deities can cause a boy or a girl to be born, this is not true. If children could be made just by praying, every family would have them a thousand times over, like a universal monarch. [F.12.a]33 In fact, there are three circumstances that allow for the birth of a child: a child is born when (1) lust arises in the parents and they have intercourse, (2) the mother still has her menstrual cycle and is approached by a gandharva, and (3) the gandharva’s mind is either attached or angry.

Still, the householder remained intent on his prayers, and a great being took birth in his wife’s womb who was well renowned and had gained his final birth, had the good fortune to soon be liberated due to gathering the accumulations, had his sights set on nirvāṇa and had turned away from saṃsāra, had no desire for the states of rebirth in cyclic existence, and who had now assumed his final body.

A woman wise in nature possesses five extraordinary abilities. She knows (1) whether a man is attracted to her, (2) the time of her menstrual cycle, (3) that she has conceived, (4) from whom she has conceived, and (5) whether the child is a boy or a girl, for if it is a baby boy it will stay on the right side of the womb, and if it is a girl it will stay on the left side of the womb.34

When the householder’s wife conceived a child, she was overjoyed and told her husband, “My lord, I have conceived a boy. He is staying on the right side of my womb, so rejoice, for it is sure to be a boy!”

At this the householder too was very happy. He puffed out his chest, put his right hand in the air, and expressed his joy, saying, “I shall see the face of the son for whom I have prayed for so long! May everything be right with my son, may nothing go wrong with him, and may he carry on my work! As I care for him, may he care for me in return! May he enjoy my inheritance! May my lineage endure for a long time! [F.12.b]35 And after our passing, when we die, may he give gifts, be they great or small, and make merit! When he does, may he dedicate the merit thus: ‘Wherever these two are born, may this go to them!’ ”

Now that he knew his wife was pregnant, he ensconced her on the upper levels of their house in order to care for the baby. He provided her with what she needed for winter in the winter, what she needed for summer in the summer, with food that was not too bitter, too sour, too salty, too sweet, too spicy, or too astringent as instructed by the healer, and he served her food that was not bitter, sour, salty, spicy, sweet, or astringent. He draped her body with garlands and strings of precious stones, and he moved her from divan to divan and seat to seat like a goddess through a joyous garden, never letting her descend to the ground, and never letting her hear an unpleasant word even for a moment.

The blessed buddhas, teachers of the one path to be traversed, with mastery over wisdom and the two types of knowable objects, in command of the three kinds of sterling equanimity, fearless by means of the fourfold fearlessness, freed from migration through the five destinies, keen in the six sense bases, practiced in the seven limbs of enlightenment, focused on the eight liberations, absorbed in the nine successive meditative absorptions, possessing all ten of the ten powers, whose proclamations are the great roaring of a perfect lion, by nature regard the world with their buddha eyes six times throughout the day and night‍—three times by day and three times by night.

These are their thoughts as they look out in wisdom: “Who is in decline? Who will flourish? Who is destitute? Who is in a dreadful state? Who is being harmed? Who is destitute, in a dreadful state, and being harmed? Who is veering toward the lower realms? Who is descending through the lower realms? Who has descended to the lower realms? [F.13.a] Whom shall I pull up from the lower realms, and establish in the resultant state of heaven and liberation? Whom, mired in misdeeds, shall I lift up by the hand? Whom, lacking the seven jewels of the noble ones, shall I lead to command of the seven jewels of the noble ones? Whom, not having produced roots of virtue, shall I lead to produce them? Whom, having already produced roots of virtue, shall I lead to ripen their roots of virtue? Whom, having already ripened their roots of virtue, shall I slice open with the blade of wisdom? For whom shall I cause this world, adorned with a buddha’s presence, to be fruitful?”

Just as the blessed buddhas regard the world with their buddha eyes six times throughout the day and night‍—three times by day and three times by night‍—so too the great listeners regard the world with their listener’s eyes six times throughout the day and night‍—three times by day and three times by night.

When Venerable Aniruddha regarded the world with his listener’s eyes, he saw a being who was in his final birth taking birth in the home of that householder, and he thought, “Who will tame this being? Will he be tamed by the Buddha, or will he be tamed instead by the listeners?” Then he saw that it was he himself who would tame him and went to the house.

He gave Dharma teachings to the householder from time to time, and that led the householder to remain steadfast in perfect faith, to take refuge, and to maintain the fundamental precepts. He inspired him to give gifts and to share what they had, and in no time at all his home became [F.13.b] like an open well for those in need.

To strengthen the parents’ resolve, one day Venerable Aniruddha went to the house alone, without companions or attendants. The householder saw that Venerable Aniruddha was alone, without companions or attendants, and asked, “Noble one, why have you come here alone, without companions or attendants? Noble one, is there no one at all who could attend you?”

“Where shall we find attendants, if one such as yourself does not grant them to us?” replied Venerable Aniruddha.

The householder said to him, “Lord Aniruddha, my wife has conceived, so if we have a son, noble one, I shall offer him to you as an attendant.”

“The virtuous keep their promises,” said Venerable Aniruddha. Having spoken thus, Venerable Aniruddha departed.

After nine or ten months had passed, the householder’s wife gave birth to a child who was well proportioned, pleasing to the eye, and beautiful, with glowing, golden skin and a well-rounded head, long arms, a broad brow, a fine and prominent nose, and eyebrows that met. At the elaborate feast celebrating his birth they asked, “What name should we give this child?” And the householder named him, saying, “For so long I wondered when I would have a child, and for so long I prayed and prayed. Since this child has fulfilled my wish, his name will be Pūraṇa.”

Baby Pūraṇa had eight nurses‍—two nurses to hold him in their laps, two wet nurses, two nurses to bathe him, and two nurses to play with him. [F.14.a] They raised him with a protection cord, and the eye of a peacock feather from the hand of Nārāyaṇa. They reared him on milk, yogurt, butter, ghee, and milk solids, and he flourished like a lotus in a lake.

As he grew up he studied letters, tallying, and arithmetic; the study of seals, lending, deposits, and commerce; and the examination of cloth, jewels, gems, incense, medicine, elephants, horses, and arms and armor. He became skilled in writing, skilled at reading, learned, decisive, industrious, a master of the eight types of examination.

One day Venerable Aniruddha saw that the time had come for the child to go forth. In the morning he donned his lower garment and Dharma robes, and, carrying his alms bowl, he went for alms in Śrāvastī. As he went for alms, eventually he came to the householder’s home, and there sat on the seat prepared for him.

After he had taken his seat, Venerable Aniruddha reminded the householder, “Householder, before this child was born you granted him to me as an attendant. The virtuous keep their promises, do they not? Didn’t you yourself make such a promise?”

“Yes, noble one, I did make just such a promise,” the householder replied. Having said this, he took the child by his two hands, offered him to Venerable Aniruddha, and told him, “Child, before you were born I offered you to the noble one. Therefore go, and be the noble one’s attendant.”

The child said, “This will be of benefit to me.” With those words the child followed Venerable Aniruddha away.

Venerable Aniruddha brought the child to the monastery, where he led him to go forth as a novice, fully ordained him, [F.14.b] and instructed him. But despite his commitment to practice earnestly, foregoing sleep from dusk to dawn, the child did not achieve anything of significance. Then he fell ill.

His parents heard that their child had taken ill, and as soon as they heard this they brought a healer to visit him, and went to the monastery carrying everything he needed. They provided for all his needs, but they could not cure him. They thought, “If we remain here at the monastery we will fall behind on all our work at home. We should bring the child home and care for him there.”

They bowed down at Venerable Aniruddha’s feet and said, “Noble one, please know that if we stay here, we will fall behind on all our duties at home. We request your permission to bring our child back home, so we can tend to him there.”

Venerable Aniruddha thought, “His parents and the people of their house will soon be established in the truths, for this monk will manifest arhatship there in the house.” With this in mind, Venerable Aniruddha said, “Do as you wish.”

As soon as they heard this, the householders brought the monk back to their house and provided for all his needs according to the healer’s instructions. Right there in the house, disillusioned by his illness, the monk cast away all afflictive emotions through diligence, practice, and effort, and manifested arhatship.

As an arhat he directly apprehended the thoughts, habitual tendencies, temperament, and nature of his two parents and the people of their house, and taught them the Dharma accordingly. Hearing it, the householders and their retinue [F.15.a] destroyed with the thunderbolt of wisdom the twenty high peaks of the mountain of views concerning the transitory collection, and manifested the resultant state of stream entry right where they sat.

After establishing his parents in the truth, he thought, “I have recollection of my former states‍—whence I died and transmigrated, and where I have taken rebirth. I see that from life to life I have died as a human being and taken rebirth as a human being, but I am always very ill, and my lifespan very short.

“I have been an ordinary person,” he thought. “That’s why I’m undergoing such agonies. But now that I have done what was before me, what need do I have for such suffering? Let me enter the sphere of peace!”

After reflecting in this way, he made a miraculous display of fire and light, rain and lightning, and passed beyond all sorrow into the realm of nirvāṇa without any remainder of the aggregates.

After he passed into parinirvāṇa, his parents laid his body on a palanquin festooned with blue, yellow, red, and white cloth, but they were unable to lift it. They went and told this to Venerable Aniruddha, who reflected on this, and, knowing that the monk had prayed it would be so, went and informed the Blessed One.

The Blessed One said, “Monks, don your Dharma robes, for we shall go and venerate that monk,” and set out for the householder’s home surrounded and escorted by an assembly of monks.

Mahā­prajāpatī Gautamī also heard that such-and-such a householder’s child had go forth and passed into parinirvāṇa, [F.15.b] and that even the Blessed One had gone to venerate and pay homage to him. Knowing this, and remembering the child’s previous states, she also went to the householder’s home with five hundred attendants.

The householder Anāthapiṇḍada and the queen’s attendants, the sages Datta and Purāṇa, also heard this. The lay vow holder Vaiśākhā and the lay vow holder Sujātā also heard that the child of such-and-such a one had go forth and passed into parinirvāṇa, and that even the Blessed One had gone to venerate and pay homage to him. Hearing this, they too went there with their attendants, bowed down at the feet of the Blessed One, and said, “We shall build the monk’s funeral pyre. The Blessed One need not trouble himself.” The Blessed One assented by his silence.

Then householder Anāthapiṇḍada and the other lay vow holders, carrying the monk upon the palanquin, walked to the charnel grounds. The Blessed One and the other monks followed them, along with the many lay vow holders performing ritual veneration and eulogy. They bore the palanquin into the charnel ground, heaped together various types of incense, and lit the fire. They later extinguished the fire with milk, gathered up his bones, placed them in vessels, and built a reliquary stūpa there in the same place. They performed a great offering ritual at the stūpa and then sat before the Buddha to listen to the Dharma. The Blessed One gave a discourse on impermanence to all four retinues, then returned to the monastery.

Then the monks inquired of the Blessed One, “What action did the monk Pūraṇa take that ripened into his birth into a family of great means, [F.16.a] prosperity, and wealth, and such that he became very ill?”

“Monks,” explained the Blessed One, “Pūraṇa committed and accumulated the actions himself at a previous time. Monks, the actions that Pūraṇa committed and accumulated did not ripen into the external element of earth, the element of water, the element of fire, or the element of wind. The actions he committed and accumulated, both virtuous and nonvirtuous, ripened into nothing but his own aggregates, sense bases, and constituent elements.

“Monks, in times past, in this fortunate eon, when people lived as long as forty thousand years, in the royal palace Śobhāvatī there was a brahmin named Agnidatta who was King Śobha’s minister. Agnidatta had two sons, one of whom, upon witnessing old age, sickness, and death, had gone to live in the forest. There, contemplating the thirty-seven wings of enlightenment, he attained unexcelled, total, and complete enlightenment, and as the totally and completely awakened Buddha Krakucchanda, he acted for the benefit of beings by thrice turning the wheel of the Dharma in its twelve aspects. The other son indulged his desires. He became heedless, committed adultery with36 the wives of others, and killed beings. He would go hunting and kill many thousands of beings.

“One day the totally and completely awakened Buddha Krakucchanda traveled to Śobhāvatī, and father and son were reunited. During his stay in Śobhāvatī he acted for the benefit of beings. He turned his younger brother [F.16.b] away from sin and established him in refuge and the fundamental precepts.

“The brother went on to build a monastery that was complete in every respect. He offered it to Buddha Krakucchanda and the rest of the saṅgha of monks, provided for all their needs, and at the time of his death prayed, ‘By this root of virtue, wherever I am born, may it be into a family of great means, prosperity, and wealth. May I please and not displease a great teacher such as this one. Going forth in his doctrine alone, may I cast away all afflictive emotions and manifest arhatship.’

“O monks, what do you think? The one who was that young brahmin then is this very Pūraṇa. The act of massacring thousands of beings ripened such that wherever he was born, he was very ill and his life was very short. The act of building a monastery that was complete in every respect, offering it to Buddha Krakucchanda and the rest of the saṅgha of monks, providing for all their needs, and praying at the time of his death, ‘Wherever I am born, may it be into a family of great means, prosperity, and wealth. May I please and not displease a teacher such as this one. May I achieve such great virtues as his!’ ripened such that wherever he was born, it was into a family of great means, prosperity, and wealth, and such that he was well proportioned, pleasing to the eye, and beautiful.

“So it is, monks, now that I myself have become the very equal of the totally and completely awakened Buddha Krakucchanda‍—equal in strength, equal in deeds, and equal in skillful means‍—that he has pleased me, [F.17.a] not displeased me, gone forth in my very doctrine, cast away all afflictive emotions, and manifested arhatship.”

“What action ripened into his passing into nirvāṇa, and caused him to be venerated by the four retinues?”

“It came about by the power of his prayers,” replied the Blessed One.

“When did he make these prayers?”

“Monks, in times past, in this fortunate eon, when people lived as long as twenty thousand years and the tathāgata, the arhat, the totally and completely awakened buddha possessed of insight and perfect conduct, the sugata, the knower of the world, the tamer of persons, the charioteer, the unsurpassed one, the teacher of humans and gods, the blessed buddha known as Kāśyapa was in the world, there lived a certain householder in Vārāṇasī.

“One day his wife conceived, and after nine or ten months had passed, she gave birth to a child who was well proportioned, pleasing to the eye, and beautiful. When he grew up he found faith in the doctrine of the totally and completely awakened Buddha Kāśyapa, and, having made the request to his parents, went forth in the totally and completely awakened Buddha Kāśyapa’s doctrine. He cast away all afflictive emotions through diligence, practice, and effort, and manifested arhatship.

“After he attained arhatship, he thought, ‘I have done what was before me with this saṃsāric body. Let me enter the sphere of peace!’ Reflecting in this way, he made a miraculous display of fire and light, rain and lightning, and passed beyond all sorrow into the realm of nirvāṇa without any remainder of the aggregates.

“His preceptor informed his parents, and his [F.17.b] parents and the preceptor performed an elaborate ritual veneration of his remains. His preceptor prayed, ‘By this root of virtue, wherever I am born, may it be into a family of great means, prosperity, and wealth. May I please and not displease Uttara, the young brahmin prophesied by the totally and completely awakened Buddha Kāśyapa to be the next blessed buddha. May I achieve such great virtues. When I pass into nirvāṇa, may the Blessed One and all the four retinues venerate me.’

“O monks, what do you think? The one who was that monk then is none other than this very Pūraṇa. The act of performing an elaborate ritual veneration of that arhat and praying ripened such that wherever he was born, it was into a family of great means, prosperity, and wealth.

“So it is, monks, now that I myself have become the very equal of the totally and completely awakened Buddha Kāśyapa‍—equal in strength, equal in deeds, and equal in skillful means‍—that he has pleased me, not displeased me, go forth in my very doctrine, cast away all afflictive emotions, and manifested arhatship, and when he passed into nirvāṇa, all the four retinues venerated him.” [B2]37

When the Blessed One was in Rājagṛha, Venerable Piṇḍola­bhāradvāja, who had cast away all afflictions and manifested arhatship, thought, “The Blessed One has dispelled so many kinds of suffering and anguish, brought me many kinds of happiness and bliss, cleared away so many of my sins and nonvirtues, and secured for me such virtues. How could I repay the Blessed One’s kindness?”

Then it occurred to him, “Anytime a buddha arises in the world, it is only to benefit beings. There’s no doubt that I too should act for the benefit of beings!” With this in mind, he wondered, “Whom might I tame?”

He saw that he could tame many in Kauśāmbī, so after staying in Rājagṛha for as long as he liked, he donned his lower garment and Dharma robes, and, carrying his alms bowl, went to Kauśāmbī for alms. He eventually arrived at Kauśāmbī, where he stayed in the garden of the householder Ghoṣila.

Now this monk was also a person of great merit, and was widely known for having gone from being a son of the royal family priest to being a monk. Many people in Kauśāmbī had heard that Noble Piṇḍola­bhāradvāja was traveling through the countryside and had now come to the city of Kauśāmbī, where he was staying in the garden of the householder Ghoṣila. Upon hearing this they gathered‍—group after group and elder after elder‍—and convened in Kauśāmbī.

They approached Venerable Piṇḍola­bhāradvāja, and upon their arrival [F.24.b] they gathered together, bowed down at Venerable Piṇḍola­bhāradvāja’s feet, and sat before him to listen to the Dharma. Then Venerable Piṇḍola­bhāradvāja, directly apprehending their thoughts, habitual tendencies, temperaments, and natures, taught them the Dharma accordingly.

As soon as they heard it, some of the inhabitants of Kauśāmbī who had gathered there generated heat. Some generated the peak, or generated the patience in accord with the truths, or generated the highest worldly dharma, or generated the attainment of seeing, right where they sat.

Some manifested the resultant state of stream entry. Some manifested the resultant state of once-return. Some manifested the resultant state of non-return. Some went forth and manifested arhatship. Some sowed the seeds to become universal monarchs, some to become great universal monarchs, some to become Indra, some to become Brahmā, some for the enlightenment of the listeners, some for the enlightenment of the solitary buddhas, and some for unexcelled, total, and complete enlightenment. Among the assembled, most found themselves drawn to the Buddha, intent on the Dharma, and favoring the Saṅgha.

Having seen the truths, they rose from their seats, drew down the right shoulder of their upper garments, bowed toward Venerable Piṇḍola­bhāradvāja with palms pressed together, and beseeched him, “After we entrusted ourselves to you, noble one, you lifted us up from among the hell beings, animals, and anguished spirits. Leading us to live among the gods and humans, you dried up the ocean of blood and tears and led us over the mountain pass of bones to cast away all the afflictive emotions to which we have been accustomed since beginningless time. [F.25.a] Noble one, for as long as we live, please accept from us your provisions of clothing, food, bedding, a seat, and medicines for the sick.”

“Friends,” replied Venerable Piṇḍola­bhāradvāja, “there are other householders I must help as well. Please allow me to go.” The inhabitants of Kauśāmbī who had gathered there rejoiced at what Venerable Piṇḍola­bhāradvāja had said to them, touched their heads to Venerable Piṇḍola­bhāradvāja’s feet, and departed.

From time to time those who had seen the truths would visit Venerable Piṇḍola­bhāradvāja and listen to the Dharma. One day, as those living in Kauśāmbī were gathering together‍—group after group and elder after elder‍—King Udayin of Vatsa arrayed the four divisions of his army39 and set out to hunt deer.

When King Udayin of Vatsa saw the assembly of those living in Kauśāmbī going to the garden of the householder Ghoṣila, he immediately asked his ministers, “Where are these country folk going?”

“Deva,” the ministers replied, “the child of your family priest, the one called Piṇḍola­bhāradvāja, has cast aside the royal concerns of home and crown and gone forth. He has now made his way through the countryside to Kauśāmbī, where he is staying in the garden of the householder Ghoṣila. It is him they are traveling to see.”

As soon as he heard this, the king declared, “For a long time he has pleased me and been dear to my heart, and it is my duty to pay tribute to a preceptor. I will also go to see him and pay him respect.”

They went to the householder Ghoṣila’s garden, but the elder monk did not receive the king, nor did he so much as stand. When the king saw this, [F.25.b] he was instantly consumed with fury. Seething with anger, he paid respect to the elder monk and then departed.

He said to his ministers, “Behold the renunciant Piṇḍola­bhāradvāja, the child of the country’s royal family priest! He saw me, but he would not receive me‍—he wouldn’t so much as stand!”

To this his hateful ministers replied, “Deva, even though he saw you, he did not receive you, nor did he so much as stand! Such behavior is inappropriate.”

The king was heartbroken about this, and it made him extremely unhappy. After hunting deer with his army, he returned to the area of the monastery in anger, thinking, “Now I am going to go see that monk again. When he sees me, if he does not receive me properly‍—if he does not so much as stand‍—I shall lop off his head and throw it away!” With this in mind, he entered the householder Ghoṣila’s garden.

Now Venerable Piṇḍola­bhāradvāja heard that King Udayin of Vatsa was on the way to see him, and as soon as he did, he thought, “Why is King Udayin coming to see me again?” And he saw that the king was thinking, “If that monk fails to receive me properly upon sight‍—if he refuses even to stand‍—I shall lop off his head and toss it to the ground!”

Knowing the king’s thoughts, he rose from meditation and took six steps to receive him. As soon as he did so, the king’s air of splendor disappeared and a fissure appeared in the earth. The king saw this and was immediately afraid.

“This monk is a person of great miracles and great power,” he thought. “As I was approaching him with spiteful thoughts, through his power my splendor disappeared and the earth split open.”

Sure of this, he approached Venerable Piṇḍola­bhāradvāja, bowed down at his feet, [F.26.a] and said, “Noble one, please forgive my childish, deluded, uncouth blunder.”

“Great King, I forgive you, but you must ask forgiveness of your own mind,” the elder monk replied.

“Lord, won’t my kingdom fall now? Won’t I lose my life?” asked the king.

“Never fear, Great King, never fear!” replied the elder monk. “Your kingdom will not fall, nor will you lose your life. However, Great King, my taking six steps to receive you will cause you to lose your kingdom for six months. Then, after six months have passed, you will regain your kingdom. Furthermore, Great King, you must feel joy toward me. For as soon as you feel joy toward me, you will prevent your fall into the earth, and your air of splendor will return.”

As soon as he heard this, the king felt joy toward the elder monk, and as soon as he felt this joy, his air of splendor returned and the fissure in the earth closed up. At that moment the king again felt a surge of joy toward the elder monk. Filled with such joy, he touched his head to the elder monk’s feet and departed.

One day King Udayin of Vatsa again arrayed the four divisions of his army and set out to hunt deer. They saw a deer and approached it, with the army on one side and the king on the other. But on his way through the wilderness the king was separated from his army and became disoriented.

He wandered into a cattle pen and, not recognizing anyone or being recognized by anyone, he went mad, and remained there in the cattle pen for six months. His children, ministers, and attendants all went looking for him, but were unable to find him. They returned to the royal palace wondering, “What shall we do now if we don’t find him? Where will we go?” [F.26.b] And they sat in silence.40

Six months later someone recognized the king and asked, “Deva, what are you doing here?”

Coming to his senses, the king related to the cowherds all that had taken place. “Take heart, Deva,” the cowherds told him. “We shall bring you to the royal palace.” The cowherds set out for Kauśāmbī with the king traveling separately behind them.

After six months had passed, a minister named The Son of Enveloped in the Darkness of Logic remembered which direction the king had gone, and thought, “We must search for him. If we find him alive, he will carry on his reign. If not‍—if something went wrong‍—then we shall put his child on the throne.”

With this in mind, they organized the four divisions of the army. As they searched the villages, towns, cities, kingdom, and royal palaces, The Son of Enveloped in the Darkness of Logic saw King Udayin of Vatsa from a distance. Delighted to see him, he approached the king, inquired after his health, and asked him, “Deva, where did you go?” whereupon King Udayin of Vatsa related the story in detail.

“Deva,” said The Son of Enveloped in the Darkness of Logic, “it is all just as Noble Piṇḍola­bhāradvāja prophesied.”

Hearing this, the king felt a surge of joy toward the elder monk and thought, “For now let me put off returning to the city. I will go and pay respect to Noble Piṇḍola­bhāradvāja.”

With this in mind he bypassed Kauśāmbī and went to the householder Ghoṣila’s garden. He traveled as far as he could by vehicle, then descended from his vehicle and continued to the garden on foot. There he approached Venerable Piṇḍola­bhāradvāja, [F.27.a] bowed down at his feet, and sat before him to listen to the Dharma. The elder monk taught him a Dharma particularly suited to him.

When Venerable Piṇḍola­bhāradvāja had completed his discourse, King Udayin of Vatsa rose from his seat, drew down the right shoulder of his upper garment, bowed toward Venerable Piṇḍola­bhāradvāja with his palms together, and implored him, “Noble one, please permit me to request you and the saṅgha of monks to take your food at my house for seven days.”

Venerable Piṇḍola­bhāradvāja assented by his silence. Understanding that by his silence Venerable Piṇḍola­bhāradvāja had given his assent, King Udayin of Vatsa rose from his seat, bowed down at Venerable Piṇḍola­bhāradvāja’s feet, and departed.

Once he had contented Venerable Piṇḍola­bhāradvāja and his retinue with many good, wholesome foods for seven days, at the end of the last day he offered each of them a set of robes fashioned from cotton and then sat before them to listen to the Dharma. Venerable Piṇḍola­bhāradvāja instructed, encouraged, inspired, and delighted them with a discourse on the Dharma particularly suited to them. After he had instructed, encouraged, inspired, and delighted them, he rose from his seat and departed.

One day the Blessed One, having stayed in Rājagṛha for as long as he liked, donned his Dharma robes, and, carrying his alms bowl, set out for Kauśāmbī, surrounded and escorted by an assembly of monks. He made his way through the countryside until he arrived in Kauśāmbī, where he stayed in the householder Ghoṣila’s garden. [F.27.b]

King Udayin of Vatsa heard that the Blessed One was traveling through the country of Vatsa41 and had arrived in Kauśāmbī, where he was staying in the householder Ghoṣila’s garden. Hearing this, he approached the Blessed One, touched his head to the Blessed One’s feet, and took a seat at one side.

Once King Udayin of Vatsa had taken a seat at one side, the Blessed One instructed, encouraged, inspired, and delighted him with a discourse on the Dharma. After he had instructed, encouraged, inspired, and delighted him with a discourse on the Dharma, he sat without speaking.

Knowing that the Blessed One had completed his discourse, King Udayin of Vatsa then rose from his seat, drew down the right shoulder of his upper garment, bowed toward the Blessed One with palms pressed together, and said, “Please permit me to provide the Blessed One and the rest of the saṅgha of monks with provisions of clothing, food, bedding, seats, and medicines for the sick for the three months of winter.” The Blessed One assented by his silence.

Understanding that by his silence the Blessed One had given his assent, King Udayin of Vatsa then provided for all their needs there in the householder Ghoṣila’s garden. After respectfully providing for all the needs of the Buddha and the rest of the saṅgha of monks for three months, he offered the Blessed One very costly food on the last day. Then he offered each of the other monks a set of cotton robes, and they departed.

From time to time he approached the Blessed One to listen to the Dharma. [F.28.a] After hearing the Dharma from the Blessed One, he always made a point of going to offer his respectful service to Venerable Piṇḍola­bhāradvāja. When the monks saw him, they became suspicious.

“Why should this king make a point of going to offer such respectful service to Venerable Piṇḍola­bhāradvāja?” they wondered.

Then they heard the story in detail. After they heard it, they asked the Blessed One, “Lord, tell us why King Udayin of Vatsa approached Venerable Piṇḍola­bhāradvāja with spiteful thoughts, which caused his air of splendor to disappear, and just as he was about to fall into a narrow fissure, his mind again became filled with joy and his splendor returned, and the narrow fissure closed up as well.”

“Not only now, monks,” the Blessed One explained, “but this happened in times past as well, and in the same way, during King Meru’s reign in the city called Flourishing Rice. The kingdom was prosperous, flourishing, happy, and well populated. The harvest was good. Quarreling and arguments had ceased, there was no fighting or infighting, and there were no robbers, thieves, illness, or famine. Rice, sugarcane, cattle, and buffalo were plentiful. His was a reign in accord with the Dharma, and he treated the kingdom like a beloved only child.

“When the time came for the king’s family priest to marry, he took a wife, and they enjoyed themselves and coupled. As they enjoyed themselves and coupled, one day his wife conceived, and after nine or ten months had passed, she gave birth to a child who was well proportioned, pleasing to the eye, and beautiful. At the elaborate feast celebrating his birth they named him according to their clan.

“They reared him on milk, yogurt, butter, ghee, and milk solids, and as he grew up he studied letters, brahminical customs and conduct, the syllables oṁ and bho, [F.28.b] ritual purity, ritual actions, the collection of ashes, the holding of the ritual vase, the Ṛg Veda, the Yajur Veda, the Sāma Veda, the Atharva Veda, how to perform sacrificial rites, how to lead others in performing sacrificial rites, how to give and receive offerings, recitation, and recitation instruction. Trained in these procedures, he became a master of the six types of brahminical activities, and in time he mastered the eighteen sciences.

“He came to see that his father administrated the affairs of the kingdom both righteously and unrighteously. Recognizing this he thought, ‘After my father dies, I shall rule the kingdom without a crown. Let me then give up living at home and go to live in the forest.’ Reflecting in this way, he asked for his parents’ permission and went to live in the forest. There he generated the four meditative states and the five superknowledges.

“One day he went to the royal palace in the city of Flourishing Rice. Upon his arrival in the park his father fashioned him a hut of branches and leaves, and began to provide for all his needs. Many people would come from time to time to see him and to listen to the Dharma.

“Then one day King Meru arrayed the four divisions of the army and set out to hunt deer. The king saw many people entering the park, and he asked, ‘Where are all these people going?’

“ ‘Deva,’ his ministers replied, ‘the child of the royal family priest not only has gone forth, but is a person of great miracles and great power as well. They are all going to see him.’

“Thereupon the king thought, ‘He pleases me and is dear to my heart, and it is my duty to pay tribute to a preceptor. I will also go and see him.’ The king went to see the sage. But upon seeing the king, the sage did not receive him, nor did he so much as stand.

“When the king saw this, [F.29.a] he was suddenly consumed with fury. ‘This is the child of my family priest! When I arrive, he does not receive me‍—he does not so much as stand! I shall have his head!’ he thought, and no sooner had he thought this than the air of splendor surrounding the king’s body disappeared, and a fissure appeared in the earth and he began to sink into it.

“Seeing this, the king was suddenly afraid. ‘This sage is a person of great miracles and great power,’ he thought. Reflecting on this, he was filled with great joy, and he bowed down at the sage’s feet and asked his forgiveness.

“ ‘Great King,’ replied the sage, ‘though I forgive you, you must ask forgiveness of your own mind.’

“In fear the king asked the sage, ‘But, sage, won’t my kingdom fall now? Won’t I lose my life?’

“ ‘Never fear, Great King, never fear!’ said the sage. ‘Your kingdom will not fall, and you will not lose your life. However, Great King, it is because of your spiteful thoughts toward me that your air of splendor disappeared and the earth cracked open. Great King, as soon as you again feel joy toward me, your air of splendor will return.’ As soon as he heard this, the king felt joy toward the sage, and as soon as he felt this joy, his air of splendor returned and the crack in the earth closed up.

“O monks, what do you think? The one who was the sage then is none other than Venerable Piṇḍola­bhāradvāja. The one who was King Meru then is none other than King Udayin of Vatsa. At that time, as soon as he had spiteful thoughts toward the elder monk, his air of splendor disappeared and the earth cracked open, and as soon as he felt joy toward him, his aura of splendor returned and the fissure in the earth closed up. And again, recently he had spiteful thoughts toward him, his splendor disappeared, [F.29.b] and the earth cracked open. But no sooner did he feel joy toward him then his aura of splendor returned, and the crack in the earth closed up.”

When the Blessed One was in Śrāvastī there was a king named Brahmadatta who reigned in the city of Vārāṇasī. His kingdom was prosperous, flourishing, happy, and well populated. The harvest was good. Quarreling and arguments had ceased, there was no fighting or infighting, and there were no robbers, thieves, illness, or famine. Rice, sugarcane, cattle, and buffalo were plentiful. His was a reign in accord with the Dharma, and he treated the kingdom like a beloved only child.

One day the queen conceived, and after nine or ten months had passed, she gave birth to a child who was well proportioned, pleasing to the eye, and beautiful. At the elaborate feast celebrating her birth they asked, “What name should we give this child?” And they named her, saying, “Since she is both the child of the king of Kāśi and very beautiful, her name will be Kāśisundarī (Beauty of Kāśi).”

Kāśisundarī had eight nurses‍—two nurses to hold her in their laps, two wet nurses, two nurses to bathe her, and two nurses to play with her. These eight nurses reared her on milk, yogurt, butter, ghee, and milk solids, and she flourished like a lotus in a lake. As she grew up she became versed in the arts. She found faith in the doctrine of the Blessed One, and having asked for her parents’ permission, she offered her service to the Buddha, Dharma, and Saṅgha.

When she had grown people said, “This daughter of the king of Kāśi is well proportioned, pleasing to the eye, and beautiful‍—in all the world there’s none like her,” and her fame spread far and wide.

Now there were six neighboring kings who were shot with arrows of lust upon hearing this, [F.30.a] and they all sent envoys to Brahmadatta, the king of Kāśi, bearing the message, “Please give your daughter to me.”

When he heard this, King Brahmadatta immediately sat and reflected. “If I give my daughter to one of them,” he thought, “the others will become my enemies. To whom then should I give her?” In light of this he did not want to give her to anyone.

One day the six neighboring kings thought, “He will not give his daughter to any of us of his own free will. Therefore we must go and take her away by force.” With this in mind, on the same day they all armored the four divisions of their armies and went to Vārāṇasī, where they surrounded the entire perimeter of the city.

Then King Brahmadatta, realizing that the enemy armies were a threat to him, climbed to the roof of the palace. There he sat and brooded with his cheek resting on his palm, wondering, “What shall I do now?” Kāśisundarī came to the roof of the palace, where she found her father sitting with his cheek resting on his palm, and asked him, “Father, why have you come to the roof of the palace to brood with your cheek resting on your palm?”

“It is because of you, my child,” said the king.

“Is my appearance so poor, father?” the young woman asked. “Why should my father sit and brood because of me?”

“My child,” replied the king, “it is because your every limb is endowed with beauty that I sit and brood, and it is because of you that the six quarreling neighboring kings have arrayed the four divisions of their armies and advanced on Vārāṇasī, surrounding the city in siege.”

“Can a daughter not choose a spouse for herself, father?” Kāśisundarī wondered.

“A daughter may choose,” said the king.

“Father,” the young woman said, [F.30.b] “please permit me to choose my own spouse.”

“Oh child,” he replied, “please wait for me to inform the neighboring kings.”

King Brahmadatta told the neighboring kings, “Kāśisundarī shall make her own choice regarding a spouse. Therefore I ask that you accept her decision.”

At this they all thought, “Kāśisundarī will not forsake one such as me to choose another,” and replied, “She will not err‍—let her choose her husband!”

The envoys went and relayed this to King Brahmadatta, and he was very pleased to hear it. After he had replied to each in turn, they cut their thumbs and swore an oath. Then on a wide and suitable place, they all built multistory structures in a long row, in which each of them sat, surrounded by their retinues, on highly ornamented lion thrones.

Kāśisundarī‍—astride a fine mount, attended by a band of young women, and hoisting a victory banner of colored cloth‍—emerged from Vārāṇasī into their midst. Then she faced Ṛṣivadana, cast her bridal bouquet in the direction of the Blessed One, and crying out, “I take refuge in the Blessed Buddha!” she oriented her chariot toward Ṛṣivadana.

The kings and everyone in the great crowd realized to their astonishment that they had never seen so desirable a form as the fine one before them, and they trailed behind her, saying, “Let’s see what she does!”

Kāśisundarī rode as far toward Ṛṣivadana as she could by vehicle, then descended from her vehicle and continued to the garden on foot. There she approached the Blessed One, touched her head to the feet of the Blessed One, [F.31.a] drew down the right shoulder of her upper garment, bowed toward the Blessed One with palms pressed together, and requested, “Lord, if permitted I wish to go forth in the Dharma and Vinaya so well spoken, complete my novitiate, and achieve full ordination. In the presence of the Blessed One, I too wish to practice the holy life.” The Blessed One called Mahā­prajāpatī Gautamī, and Mahā­prajāpatī Gautamī led her to go forth as a novice, conferred on her full ordination, and instructed her.

Casting away all afflictive emotions through diligence, practice, and effort, she manifested arhatship. As an arhat, free from the attachments of the three realms, her mind regarded gold no differently than filth, and the palms of her hands as like space itself. She became cool like wet sandalwood. Her insight crushed ignorance like an eggshell. She achieved the insights, superknowledges, and discriminations. She had no regard for worldly profit, passion, or acclaim. She became an object of offering, veneration, and respectful address by Indra, Upendra, and the other gods.

The entire crowd of people was astonished, and all of them approached the Blessed One, touched their heads to the Blessed One’s feet, and sat before him to listen to the Dharma. The Blessed One taught them the Dharma particularly suited to them, and after they heard the Dharma from the Blessed One, each of them returned home.

“Blessed One,” the monks asked, “what action did Kāśisundarī take that ripened into her birth into a family of great means, prosperity, and wealth; that she was well proportioned, pleasing to the eye, and beautiful‍—an unmatched figure; [F.31.b] and that she pleased and did not displease the Blessed One, went forth in the doctrine of the Blessed One, cast away all afflictive emotions, and manifested arhatship?”

“It came about by the power of her prayers,” the Blessed One replied.

“Lord, where did she make these prayers?”

“Monks,” explained the Blessed One, “in times past, in this fortunate eon, when people lived as long as twenty thousand years and the tathāgata, the arhat, the totally and completely awakened buddha possessed of insight and perfect conduct, the sugata, the knower of the world, the tamer of persons, the charioteer, the unsurpassed one, the teacher of humans and gods, the blessed buddha Kāśyapa was in the world, there lived in the city of Vārāṇasī a certain householder, prosperous and wealthy, a person of vast and magnificent means, endowed with the wealth of Vaiśravaṇa‍—with wealth to rival Vaiśravaṇa’s.

“When the time came for him to marry he took a wife, and they enjoyed themselves and coupled. As they enjoyed themselves and coupled, one day his wife conceived, and after nine or ten months had passed, she gave birth to a child who was well proportioned, pleasing to the eye, and beautiful. At the elaborate feast celebrating her birth they named her according to their clan. They reared her on milk, yogurt, butter, ghee, and milk solids, and she flourished like a lotus in a lake.

“When she grew up, she found faith in the doctrine of the totally and completely awakened Buddha Kāśyapa. She asked for her parents’ permission, built a monastery that was complete in every respect, offered it to Buddha Kāśyapa and the rest of the saṅgha of monks, and provided for all their needs. Then she made another request of her parents and went forth as a novice in the doctrine of the totally and completely awakened Buddha Kāśyapa. Once she had gone forth, she studied the Tripiṭaka [F.32.a] and became a proponent of the Dharma with all the eloquence of her wisdom and freedom.

“Thereupon she thought, ‘I have completed my studies. Now I will put my effort into meditation.’ She received instructions for contemplation, and through her earnest practice, foregoing sleep from dusk to dawn, she developed meditative stabilization on love and there practiced pure conduct all her life.

“At the time of her death she prayed, ‘I have given gifts, made merit, gone forth in the doctrine of the totally and completely awakened Buddha Kāśyapa, and practiced pure conduct all my life. By this root of virtue, wherever I am born, may it be into a family of great means, prosperity, and wealth. May I be well proportioned, pleasing to the eye, and beautiful‍—an unmatched figure. May I please and not displease Uttara, the young brahmin prophesied by the totally and completely awakened Buddha Kāśyapa to be the next blessed buddha. Going forth in his doctrine alone may I cast away all afflictive emotions, and manifest arhatship.’

“O monks, what do you think? The one who went forth as a nun in the doctrine of the totally and completely awakened Buddha Kāśyapa then is now Kāśisundarī. At that time she gave gifts, made merit, went forth in the doctrine of the totally and completely awakened Buddha Kāśyapa, and practiced pure conduct all her life.

“At the time of her death she prayed, ‘Wherever I am born, may it be into a family of great means, prosperity, and wealth. May I be well proportioned, pleasing to the eye, and beautiful‍—an unmatched figure. May I please and not displease Uttara, the young brahmin prophesied by the totally and completely awakened Buddha Kāśyapa to be the next blessed buddha. Going forth in his doctrine alone may I cast away all afflictive emotions and [F.32.b] manifest arhatship.’ Those acts ripened such that she was born into a family of great means, prosperity, and wealth and was well proportioned, pleasing to the eye, and beautiful‍—an unmatched figure.

“So it is, monks, now that I myself have become the very equal of the totally and completely awakened Buddha Kāśyapa‍—equal in strength, equal in deeds, and equal in skillful means‍—that she has pleased me, not displeased me, gone forth in my very doctrine, cast away all afflictive emotions, and manifested arhatship. And her development of meditative stabilization on love ripened such that wherever she was born, her beauty was unmatched.” [B3]

When the Blessed One was in Śrāvastī, King Prasenajit reigned in the city of Śrāvastī and King Brahmadatta reigned in Vārāṇasī. The two did not agree with one another, and from time to time a great many people were killed. One day King Brahmadatta arrayed the four divisions of his army and advanced on the kingdom of Kośala, where they made camp and stayed on the banks of the Ajiravatī River.

King Prasenajit heard that King Brahmadatta had arrayed the four divisions of his army and come to the city gates to wage war, so he arrayed the four divisions of his army too and set out to wage war against Brahmadatta, King of Kāśi. They too made camp and hunkered down on the banks of the Ajiravatī River. Many on each side were slaughtered while the two armies were stationed there. Both sides were formidable and resistant to assault, and so it continued, with neither side able to defeat the other.

One day as they were hunkered down there, [F.33.a] a daughter was born to King Prasenajit who was well proportioned, pleasing to the eye, and beautiful. A son who was well proportioned, pleasing to the eye, and beautiful had also been born to King Brahmadatta of Kāśi, so celebratory music resounded from both of their camps.

Hearing the music coming from both sides, the kings asked, “What is all this celebratory music?”

King Brahmadatta’s ministers replied, “It is for the birth of King Prasenajit’s daughter, and for you, Deva, upon the arrival of your son,” and King Prasenajit’s ministers replied, “It is for you, Deva, upon the arrival of your daughter, and for the birth of King Brahmadatta’s son.”

When they heard this, both were in good spirits, and thought, “We should not treat each other as enemies now that we have the means to become kin!”

King Brahmadatta sent an envoy to King Prasenajit with the message, “Please give your newborn daughter to my son in marriage.”

King Prasenajit thought, “This will be a way to make friends with King Brahmadatta for the rest of my life,” and sent an envoy to King Brahmadatta with the response, “I shall comply with your wish.” The two asked forgiveness of one another and made friends. One sent a great wealth of clothing and finery for the girl, and the other sent much clothing and finery for the boy. As friends, the two now departed the region with their arms around each other’s shoulders.

King Prasenajit thought, “Since the birth of my daughter, I am happy with King Brahmadatta,” so he named her Kṣemā (She Who Brings Happiness) at the elaborate feast celebrating her birth. They reared her on milk, yogurt, butter, ghee, and milk solids, and she flourished like a lotus in a lake. When she grew up she found faith in the doctrine of the Blessed Buddha, went for refuge and took the fundamental precepts, [F.33.b] made merit, and went continually to the nunnery to listen to the Dharma.

So it was that one day she manifested the resultant state of non-return and attained miraculous powers. Endowed with great power and magical abilities, she achieved concentration on the eight liberations. She demonstrated the miracle of her magical abilities for her parents, and said, “Mother, Father, now that I have achieved these things, I cannot engage in sexual relations, so I am asking for your kind permission to go forth in the doctrine of the Blessed One.”

“My child, we cannot allow this,” her parents said, “for we betrothed you as soon as you were born. We have already sent our word and set aside our dispute, but still‍—when the wedding party comes for you, you can make your request to the groom and go forth, should he agree.”

Then King Prasenajit sent an envoy to King Brahmadatta with the message, “Our daughter Kṣemā wishes to go forth. We cannot stop her. Do not delay in making her a bride.”

King Brahmadatta likewise sent an envoy with the response, “I shall come on such-and-such a date. Start making preparations for her to be sent away as a bride.”

When King Prasenajit heard this, he began making preparations to send her away as a bride. King Brahmadatta then sent his son with great riches and a great show of force, whereupon King Prasenajit respectfully led the delegation into Śrāvastī.

Once the wedding delegation had been led in, an altar was erected and decorated with ornaments, and many people gathered there. They clad the young woman in every type of adornment and led her to her place at the decorated altar. Then the young man too was led to the decorated altar, and he turned and beckoned to young Kṣemā. Suddenly she rose up into the sky [F.34.a] and gave a miraculous display of fire and light, rain and lightning.

When the young man and the many others saw this they experienced a surge of tremendous joy toward Kṣemā, and the young man thought, “How could she engage in sexual relations with me, now that she has attained such great virtues?”

He called out to her, “Fine woman, come down! I’ll let you decide as you please!”

Kṣemā told him, “Lord, I cannot engage in sexual relations with you‍—please give your consent to my going forth in the doctrine of the Blessed One.”

“Given,” the young man replied. Young Kṣemā immediately descended and gave a Dharma teaching to the people. Then she asked for her parents’ permission, went to the garden of Prince Jeta, approached the Blessed One, touched her head to the Blessed One’s feet, and requested, “Lord, if permitted I wish to go forth in the Dharma and Vinaya so well spoken, complete my novitiate, and achieve full ordination. In the presence of the Blessed One, I too wish to practice the holy life.” Thereupon the Blessed One presented her to Mahā­prajāpatī.

Mahā­prajāpatī led her to go forth as a novice, conferred on her full ordination, and instructed her. Casting away all afflictive emotions through