SBE 17: Fifth Khandhaka: Chapter 13

13 1.

1. Now at that time the venerable Mahâ Kakkâyana was staying in Avanti on the hill called the Precipice, near Kuraraghara 2. And at that time the lay-disciple named Sona Kutikanna 3 was the personal attendant upon the venerable Mahâ Kakkâyana.

And the disciple Sona Kutikanna went to the place where the venerable Mahâ Kakkâyana was, and saluted him, and took his seat beside him. And when he was thus seated, he said to the venerable Mahâ Kakkâyana:

'As I understand the doctrine laid down by the venerable Mahâ Kakkâyana, it is difficult for the man who dwells at home to live the higher life in all its fulness, in all its purity, in all its bright perfection. I wish therefore to cut off my hair and beard, to clothe myself in the orange-coloured robes, and to go forth from the household life into the houseless state 4. May the venerable Mahâ Kakkâyana receive me into the Order of those who have renounced the world!'

2. 'Hard is it, Sona, your life long to live the

1 which had arisen in the disciple Sona Kutikanna abated in him.

A second time the disciple Sona Kutikanna [made the same request, and received the same reply with the same result].

And a third time Sona Kutikanna made the same request. Then the venerable Mahâ Kakkâyana conferred the pabbaggâ (ordination) on the disciple Sona Kutikanna.

Now at that time in the Southern country and in Avanti there were but few Bhikkhus. And it was only after the lapse of three years that the venerable Mahâ Kakkâyana was able, with difficulty, and with trouble, to get together a meeting of the Order in which ten Bhikkhus were present 2. And then he admitted the venerable Sona into the higher rank of the Order.

3. Now when the venerable Sona had passed the rainy season there sprang up in his mind, when he was meditating alone, this thought:

'I have heard indeed that the Blessed One is such and such a one. But I have not as yet seen him face to face. I should like to go and visit the Blessed One, the Arahat Buddha, if my superior would allow me.'

And in the evening the venerable Sona, leaving his solitude, went to the place where the venerable

'That is good, that is good, Sona! Go then, Sona, to visit the Blessed One, the Arahat Buddha. [5.] You shall see, Sona, how the Blessed One arouses faith, is worthy of faith, calm in his senses, calm in his mind, gifted with the highest self-control and quietude, an elephant among men, subdued, guarded, with his senses in subjection to himself. Do you therefore, Soma, bow down in my name at the feet of the Blessed One, and say, "Lord! my superior, the venerable Mahâ Kakkâyana, bows down in salutation at the feet of the Blessed One!" and add, "In the Southern country and in Avanti there are, Lord, but few Bhikkhus. And it was only after the lapse of three years that with difficulty and with trouble an assembly of the Order was got together, in which ten members were present, and I could be received into the higher rank of the Order. May the Blessed One be pleased, therefore, to allow the higher ordination in the Southern country and in Avanti before a meeting of a lesser number. [6.] In the Southern country and in Avanti, Lord, the soil is black on the surface 1, rough, and trampled by the feet of cattle 2.

1. In the Southern country and in Avanti, Lord, skins, such as sheep-skins, goat-skins, and deer-skins, are used as coverlets. Just as in the Middle country 2 the eragu, moragu, magghâru, and gantu grasses 3 are used for coverlets, so are sheep-skins, goat-skins, and deer-skins in the Southern country and in Avanti. May the Blessed One be pleased to allow the use of such coverlets there. [7.] At present, Lord, people are in the habit of giving a set of robes to Bhikkhus, who have left the district, saying, 'We give this set of robes to (a Bhikkhu) of such and such a name.' When they return, the Bhikkhus tell them, 'A set of robes has been given to you by a person of such and such a name.' But they, fearing to offend, do not accept it, saying, 'Let us not be guilty of a Nissaggiya.' May the Blessed One be pleased to make a detailed statement in the matter of robes."

1.'

1).

And the Blessed One, at the conclusion of the venerable Sona's recitation, expressed his pleasure, saying,

'Excellent, most excellent, O Bhikkhu! Well have the Eights been grasped by thee, well thought over, well learnt by heart: and with a fine voice art thou gifted, distinct, pleasant 2, able to make things understood. How many years is it since thou hast been ordained?'

'One year, my Lord!'

10. 'But why have you postponed it so long?'

'’Tis long, Lord, since I saw into the danger of the passions, but life in a household is crowded with business and with cares.'

And the Blessed One, when he heard that matter, gave utterance at that time to the expression of emotion:

'When he has seen the danger of the world, when he has understood the Truth, when he has become free from Upadhi 3,

1. To the East is the town Kagaṅgala, and beyond it Mahâsâlâ. Beyond that is border country; this side of it is the Middle country. To the South-east is the river Salalavatî. Beyond that is border country; this side of it is the Middle country. To the South is the town Setakannika. Beyond that is border country; this side of it is the Middle country. To the West is the Brâhman district of Thûna. Beyond that is

1.'

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Footnotes

32:1 Sections 1-6 of this chapter were published and translated by Alwis in his 'Kakkâyana's Pali Grammar,' pp. 92 and following.

32:2 Buddhaghosa spells this name Kuduraghara, and says it was there that Kakkâyana had been accustomed to go for alms, and that he dwelt on the precipice itself.

32:3 Buddhaghosa has a curious explanation of this name, Kotiagghanakam pana kanna-pilandhanakam dhâreti, tasmâ Kutikanno ’ti vukkati. This is evidently merely drawn from the word itself, which may just as well have meant 'with pointed ears.'

32:4 This is a common phrase. Compare Tevigga Sutta (Rh. D., 'Buddhist Suttas from the Pâli,' pp. 187, 188).

33:1 Compare gamikâbhisamkhâra, Mahâvagga VI, 31, 2.

33:2 On the necessity of this, see Mahâvagga IX, 4, I.

34:1 Kanhuttarâ ’ti kanha-mattik-uttarâ upari-vaddhitâ kanha-mattikâ (B.). Alwis translates, 'overrun with thorns.'

34:2 Gokantaka-hatâ ’ti gunnam khurehi akkanta-bhumito samutthehi go-kantakehi upahatâ. Te kira gokantake ekapatalikâ upâhanâ 35:1 Compare the 57th Pâkittiya.

35:2 See below, § 12; and compare Rh. D., 'Buddhist Birth Stories,' p. 61.

35:3 Imâ katasso pi tina-gâtiyo. Etehi kata-sâtake ka tattikâyo ka karonti. Ettha eragû ’ti ekaraka-tinam, tam olârikam. Moragutinam tamba-sisam sukhumam mudukam sukha-samphassam; tena katâ tattikâ nipaggitvâ vutthitamatte pana uddhumâtâ hutvâ titthati. Maggârunâ (sic, and so Alwis) kata-sâtake pi karonti. Gantussa mani-sadiso vanno hoti, Tattikâ is a mat; see Gâtaka I, 142. Compare Sanskrit Eraka, and Mayûraka.

36:1 Patibhâtu tam bhikkhu dhammo bhâsitum. Compare Buddhaghosa's commentary on the similar idiom used in the Mahâ-parinibbâna 37:1 Atthaka-vagga is the name of the fourth book in the Sutta Nipâta. See Professor Fausböll's translation, p. viii. It may also be the name of divisions of other books, but probably that portion of the Sutta Nipâta is here referred to.

37:2 On Anelagalâya compare nelâ vâkâ in § 6 of the Kûla-sîla.

37:3 Ariyo is the man who has entered the Path, Suki is locative. Nirûpadhi, he in whom there remains no longer the cause of the renewal of existence as a separate individual (the cause referred to being thirst or excitement and craving, Tanhâ, Upâdâna).

38:1 Compare Cunningham, 'Ancient Geography of India,' I, 440; Childers, Khuddaka Pâtha, p. 20; Alwis, 'Introduction to Pali Grammar,' XXIX; Lassen, Indische Alterthumskunde, I, 119 (2nd ed.); Rhys Davids, 'Buddhist Birth Stories,' p, 61.

40:1 On this last clause compare the first Nissaggiya, and our note there. The clause here means that the ten days of the rule in the Pâtimokkha are not to begin to run, under the circumstances specified, till the set of robes has actually reached the hand of the Bhikkhu for whom they were intended.

Buddhaghosa says here: Yâva âharitvâ vâ na dinnam tumhâkam bhante kîvaram uppannan ti pahinitva vâ nârokitam, tâva gananam na upeti, anadhitthitam na vattati. Yadâ pana ânetvâ vâ dinnam hoti, uppannan ti vâ sutam, tato patthâya dasâham eva parihâram labhati.