1. Now when the Blessed One had stayed at Âpana as long as he thought fit, he went on, on his pilgrimage, to Kusinârâ, with a great company
Now at that time there was a certain Malla, by name Roga, who was a friend of the venerable Ânanda's. And the Blessed One, continuing in due course his pilgrimage, arrived at Kusinârâ.
2. Then the Mallas of Kusinârâ went forth to welcome the Blessed One. And Roga the Malla, having gone forth to welcome the Blessed One, went on to the place where the venerable Ânanda was: and when he had come there, he saluted the venerable Ânanda, and stood by on one side. And to him, so standing, the venerable Ânanda spake thus:
'This is most excellent of thee, friend Roga, that thou hast come forth to welcome the Blessed One!'
'It is not I, O Ânanda, who am much moved 2 by the Buddha, or the Dhamma, or the Samgha. But by the clansmen a compact was made to the effect that whosoever went not forth to welcome the Blessed One should pay a fine of five hundred (pieces). So that it was through fear of being fined
'Now that, Ânanda, is not a hard thing for the Tathâgata--so to act that Roga the Malla should become devoted to this doctrine and discipline.'
4. Then the Blessed One suffused Roga the Malla with the feeling of his love 2, and rising from his seat he entered into his dwelling-place. And Roga the Malla, overcome by the Blessed One by the sense of his love, just as a young calf follows the kine, so did he go on from dwelling-place to dwelling-place, and from apartment to apartment, asking the Bhikkhus:
'Where then, Sirs, is that Blessed One dwelling now, the Arahat Buddha? For we desire to visit that Blessed One, the Arahat Buddha.'
6. Now at that time a certain succession had been fixed, in which the inhabitants of Kusinârâ should each in succession provide food for the Samgha. And it occurred to Roga the Malla, who had not received a place in the succession, thus: What if I were to inspect the Samgha's storehouse, and provide whatever I found wanting in the storehouse?' And on inspecting the storehouse, he found there no potherbs, and no meal 2.
Then Roga the Malla went up to the place where the venerable Ânanda was, and when he had come there, he spake to the venerable Ânanda thus:
'It occurred to me (&ç., as before, down to:) and no meal. If, Ânanda, I were to provide potherbs and meal, would the Blessed One accept them at my hands?'
7. The venerable Ânanda told this thing to the Blessed One.
135:1 That is, the square kahâpanas of copper or bronze, figured in the Bârhut has-reliefs, and mentioned in the Dhammapada. See Rh. D.'s 'Ancient Coins and Measures,' p. 4, § 5.
135:2 Bahukato; only found in this passage. Buddhaghosa says, Nâham bhante Ânanda bahukato ti nâham Buddhâdi-gatapasâda-bahumânena idhâgato ti dassetî ti. Here Buddhâdi means the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Samgha.
136:1 Mahiddhiyo, where, as so often elsewhere, Iddhi has no supernatural connotation. Compare the passages quoted above in our note on I, 15, 2.
136:2 Compare Rh. D., 'Buddhist Birth Stories,' p. 112.
138:1 Sekhena, as opposed to asekhena. That is, with the knowledge of one who is not himself an Arahat. See our note on Mahâvagga I, 7, 13.
138:2 See the note at the end; of § 8.
139:1 Sabbañ ka tâkan (sic) ti sappi-âdîhi pakkam vâ apakkam vâ yam kiñki tâkam (B.)
139:2 Pittha-khâdaniyan ti pitthamayam khâdaniyam (B.)
