Sixth Khandhaka. Chapter 15
15.
1. Now at that time the venerable Pilindava"k"kh"a had a mountain cave at R"g"agaha cleared out, with the object of making it into a cave dwelling-place. And the Mgadha king Se"n"iya Bimbisra went to the place where the venerable Pilindava"k"kh"a was; and when he had come there, he saluted the venerable Pilindava"k"kh"a, and took his seat on one side.
And when he was so seated the Mgadha king Se"n"iya Bimbisra said to the venerable Pilindava"k"kh"a, 'What is it that my Lord, the Thera, is having done?'
'I am having a cave cleared out, with the object of making it into a cave dwelling-place.'
'Do you then, Sir, require an rmika (a park-keeper)?'
'Not so, great king! A park-keeper has not been prescribed by the Blessed One.'
'Then, Sir, enquire, of the Blessed One (concerning this matter), and let me then know.'
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'Very well, O King!' said the venerable Pilindava"k"kh"a in assent to the Mgadha king Se"n"iya Bimbisra.
2. Then the venerable Pilindava"k"kh"a taught and incited and roused and gladdened the Mgadha king Se"n"iya Bimbisra with religious discourse. And the Mgadha king Se"n"iya Bimbisra, when he had been taught &c. by the religious discourse, rose from his seat, and bowed down before the venerable Pilindava"k"kh"a, and passing round him with his right side towards him, departed thence.
Then the venerable Pilindava"k"kh"a sent a message to the Blessed One, saying, 'Lord! the Mgadha king Se"n"iya Bimbisra desires to present me with a park-keeper. What am I, therefore, Lord, to do?'
Then the Blessed One, in that connection, after delivering a religious discourse, said to the Bhikkhus:
'I allow you, O Bhikkhus, the accepting of a park-keeper.'
3. And a second time the Mgadha king Se"n"iya Bimbisra went to the place where the venerable Pilindava"k"kh"a was; and when he had come there he saluted the venerable Pilindava"k"kh"a, and took his seat on one side.
And when he was so seated the Mgadha king Se"n"iya Bimbisra said to the venerable Pilindava"k"kh"a, 'Has the Blessed One allowed a park-keeper?'
'Yes, O King!'
Then, Sir, I will present a park-keeper to you.'
Now the Mgadha king Se"n"iya Bimbisra, after he had (thus) promised a park-keeper to the venerable Pilindava"k"kh"a, forgot it. And after a time he
p. 63
recovered recollection of it, and addressed a certain minister who had charge of general affairs, and said: 'The park-keeper whom I promised to the venerable one, has he been given to him?'
'No, your Majesty!'
'How long is it then, good Sir, since that was determined?'
4. Then that minister, counting up the nights, said to the Mgadha king Se"n"iya Bimbisra, 'Five hundred nights, your Majesty.'
'Give then, my good Sir, five hundred park-keepers to the venerable one!'
'As your Majesty commands,' said that minister in assent to the Mgadha king Se"n"iya Bimbisra; and he gave over to the venerable Pilindava"k"kh"a five hundred park-keepers, and (for their use) a distinct village grew up. And they called it Armika-gma, and they called it also Pilinda-gma. Thenceforward the venerable Pilindava"k"kh"a depended upon the families living in that village (for alms, &c.). And the venerable Pilindava"k"kh"a robed himself early in the morning, and entered into Pilinda-gma, duly bowled and robed for alms.
5. Now at that time there was a feast in that village, and the children were celebrating it, with their ornaments on, and decked with garlands. And the venerable Pilindava"k"kh"a, when he was going his rounds for alms, straight on from house to house, came to the dwelling-place of a certain park-keeper; and when he had come there he sat down on a seat prepared for him.
And at that time the daughter of that park-keeper's wife, seeing the other children with their ornaments on, and decked with garlands, began to
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cry (saying), 'Give me too a garland, give me an ornament!'
And the venerable Pilindava"k"kh"a said to that park-keeper's wife: 'Why does that girl cry?'
'This girl, venerable Sir, seeing the other children with their ornaments on, and decked with garlands, is crying (and saying), "Give me too a garland, give me too an ornament!" But whence should we, who have become so poor, get garlands or ornaments?'
6. Then the venerable Pilindava"k"kh"a took a grass chumbat 1, and said to the park-keeper's wife: 'Bind, I pray you, this grass chumbat round the child's head.'
And the park-keeper's wife took the grass chumbat, and bound it round the girl's head. And that became a chaplet of gold, beautiful, lovely, and pleasing, such that there was no chaplet of gold in the king's seraglio like it.
And people told the Mgadha king Se"n"iya Bimbisra, 'There is a chaplet of gold, your Majesty, in the house of such and such a park-keeper, such that there is no chaplet of gold in the king's seraglio like it. How could he, poor as he is, have got (such a thing)? For a certainty he must have procured it by theft.'
Then the Mgadha king Se"n"iya Bimbisra had (the whole of) that park-keeper's family thrown into bonds.
7. Now the venerable Pilindava"k"kh"a robed himself again early in the morning, and went, duly bowled and robed, into Pilinda-gma for alms. And going his round for alms straight on from house to house he came to the dwelling-place of that park-keeper; and
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when he had come there he asked the neighbours, 'Where is the family of this park-keeper gone to?'
'The king, Sir, has had them thrown into bonds on account of that chaplet of gold.'
Then the venerable Pilindava"k"kh"a went on to the residence of the Mgadha king Se"n"iya Bimbisra: and when he had come there he sat down on the seat prepared for him. And the Mgadha king Se"n"iya Bimbisra went to the place where the venerable Pilindava"k"kh"a was; and when he had come there, he bowed down before the venerable Pilindava"k"kh"a, and took his seat on one side. And when he was so seated the venerable Pilindava"k"kh"a said to the Mgadha king Se"n"iya Bimbisra:
8. 'Why, O King, has the park-keeper's family been thrown into bonds?'
'That park-keeper, Sir, has in his house a chaplet of gold, such that there is no chaplet of gold in the king's seraglio like it. Whence should he, poor as he is, have got (such a thing)? For a certainty he has procured it by theft.'
Then the venerable Pilindava"k"kh"a determined that the palace of the Mgadha king Se"n"iya Bimbisra should be gold. And it became all of gold.
'Now, your Majesty, whence have you this so great quantity of gold?'
'I understand, Lord. This is your miraculous power' (said the king. And so saying) he set that park-keeper's family free.
9. When the people, glad at heart and full of satisfaction, saw that so great a miracle had been shown by the venerable Pilindava"k"kh"a to the king and his royal retinue, they brought to the venerable Pilindava"k"kh"a the five kinds of medicine,--that is to
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say, ghee, butter, oil, honey, and molasses. Now (besides this) the venerable Pilindava"k"kh"a was accustomed to receive the five kinds of medicine; and whatever he received he distributed among his attendant (Bhikkhus). So the retinue became abounding therein, and as they received it they laid it aside, filling vessels and pots; and filling water-strainers and bags with it they laid them in the windows, and they remained there clinging and adhering together, and the Vihras became sprinkled and scattered all over with them through the (gnawing of) rats. People who saw this, when they went round the Vihras, were annoyed, murmured, and became indignant (saying), 'These Sakyaputtiya Sama"n"as are becoming storers up of goods like the Mgadha king Se"n"iya Bimbisra.'
To. The Bhikkhus heard the people thus murmuring, &c. And those Bhikkhus who were moderate were indignant, &c., saying,
'How can Bhikkhus think (of possessing) such abundance?'
And those Bhikkhus told the matter to the Blessed One.
'Is it true, Bhikkhus, as they say, that Bhikkhus think (of possessing) such abundance?'
'It is true, Lord.'
The Blessed One rebuked them, and after delivering a religious discourse, he addressed the Bhikkhus:
'Whatsoever kinds of medicine are meet for the use of sick Bhikkhus,--that is to say, ghee, butter, oil, honey, and molasses,--when such are received they must be used within a period of seven days during which they may be stored up. Whosoever
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goes beyond that limit shall be dealt with according to law 1.'
End of the first Bh"n"avra on the law of medicines.
Footnotes
64:1 A circular roll of grass, or cloth, to be placed on the head when a pot of oil or water was being carried on the head. Compare "k"umba"t"aka, and Rh. L.'s 'Buddhist Birth Stories,' p. 295.
1. Now at that time the venerable Pilindava"k"kh"a had a mountain cave at R"g"agaha cleared out, with the object of making it into a cave dwelling-place. And the Mgadha king Se"n"iya Bimbisra went to the place where the venerable Pilindava"k"kh"a was; and when he had come there, he saluted the venerable Pilindava"k"kh"a, and took his seat on one side.
And when he was so seated the Mgadha king Se"n"iya Bimbisra said to the venerable Pilindava"k"kh"a, 'What is it that my Lord, the Thera, is having done?'
'I am having a cave cleared out, with the object of making it into a cave dwelling-place.'
'Do you then, Sir, require an rmika (a park-keeper)?'
'Not so, great king! A park-keeper has not been prescribed by the Blessed One.'
'Then, Sir, enquire, of the Blessed One (concerning this matter), and let me then know.'
p. 62
'Very well, O King!' said the venerable Pilindava"k"kh"a in assent to the Mgadha king Se"n"iya Bimbisra.
2. Then the venerable Pilindava"k"kh"a taught and incited and roused and gladdened the Mgadha king Se"n"iya Bimbisra with religious discourse. And the Mgadha king Se"n"iya Bimbisra, when he had been taught &c. by the religious discourse, rose from his seat, and bowed down before the venerable Pilindava"k"kh"a, and passing round him with his right side towards him, departed thence.
Then the venerable Pilindava"k"kh"a sent a message to the Blessed One, saying, 'Lord! the Mgadha king Se"n"iya Bimbisra desires to present me with a park-keeper. What am I, therefore, Lord, to do?'
Then the Blessed One, in that connection, after delivering a religious discourse, said to the Bhikkhus:
'I allow you, O Bhikkhus, the accepting of a park-keeper.'
3. And a second time the Mgadha king Se"n"iya Bimbisra went to the place where the venerable Pilindava"k"kh"a was; and when he had come there he saluted the venerable Pilindava"k"kh"a, and took his seat on one side.
And when he was so seated the Mgadha king Se"n"iya Bimbisra said to the venerable Pilindava"k"kh"a, 'Has the Blessed One allowed a park-keeper?'
'Yes, O King!'
Then, Sir, I will present a park-keeper to you.'
Now the Mgadha king Se"n"iya Bimbisra, after he had (thus) promised a park-keeper to the venerable Pilindava"k"kh"a, forgot it. And after a time he
p. 63
recovered recollection of it, and addressed a certain minister who had charge of general affairs, and said: 'The park-keeper whom I promised to the venerable one, has he been given to him?'
'No, your Majesty!'
'How long is it then, good Sir, since that was determined?'
4. Then that minister, counting up the nights, said to the Mgadha king Se"n"iya Bimbisra, 'Five hundred nights, your Majesty.'
'Give then, my good Sir, five hundred park-keepers to the venerable one!'
'As your Majesty commands,' said that minister in assent to the Mgadha king Se"n"iya Bimbisra; and he gave over to the venerable Pilindava"k"kh"a five hundred park-keepers, and (for their use) a distinct village grew up. And they called it Armika-gma, and they called it also Pilinda-gma. Thenceforward the venerable Pilindava"k"kh"a depended upon the families living in that village (for alms, &c.). And the venerable Pilindava"k"kh"a robed himself early in the morning, and entered into Pilinda-gma, duly bowled and robed for alms.
5. Now at that time there was a feast in that village, and the children were celebrating it, with their ornaments on, and decked with garlands. And the venerable Pilindava"k"kh"a, when he was going his rounds for alms, straight on from house to house, came to the dwelling-place of a certain park-keeper; and when he had come there he sat down on a seat prepared for him.
And at that time the daughter of that park-keeper's wife, seeing the other children with their ornaments on, and decked with garlands, began to
p. 64
cry (saying), 'Give me too a garland, give me an ornament!'
And the venerable Pilindava"k"kh"a said to that park-keeper's wife: 'Why does that girl cry?'
'This girl, venerable Sir, seeing the other children with their ornaments on, and decked with garlands, is crying (and saying), "Give me too a garland, give me too an ornament!" But whence should we, who have become so poor, get garlands or ornaments?'
6. Then the venerable Pilindava"k"kh"a took a grass chumbat 1, and said to the park-keeper's wife: 'Bind, I pray you, this grass chumbat round the child's head.'
And the park-keeper's wife took the grass chumbat, and bound it round the girl's head. And that became a chaplet of gold, beautiful, lovely, and pleasing, such that there was no chaplet of gold in the king's seraglio like it.
And people told the Mgadha king Se"n"iya Bimbisra, 'There is a chaplet of gold, your Majesty, in the house of such and such a park-keeper, such that there is no chaplet of gold in the king's seraglio like it. How could he, poor as he is, have got (such a thing)? For a certainty he must have procured it by theft.'
Then the Mgadha king Se"n"iya Bimbisra had (the whole of) that park-keeper's family thrown into bonds.
7. Now the venerable Pilindava"k"kh"a robed himself again early in the morning, and went, duly bowled and robed, into Pilinda-gma for alms. And going his round for alms straight on from house to house he came to the dwelling-place of that park-keeper; and
p. 65
when he had come there he asked the neighbours, 'Where is the family of this park-keeper gone to?'
'The king, Sir, has had them thrown into bonds on account of that chaplet of gold.'
Then the venerable Pilindava"k"kh"a went on to the residence of the Mgadha king Se"n"iya Bimbisra: and when he had come there he sat down on the seat prepared for him. And the Mgadha king Se"n"iya Bimbisra went to the place where the venerable Pilindava"k"kh"a was; and when he had come there, he bowed down before the venerable Pilindava"k"kh"a, and took his seat on one side. And when he was so seated the venerable Pilindava"k"kh"a said to the Mgadha king Se"n"iya Bimbisra:
8. 'Why, O King, has the park-keeper's family been thrown into bonds?'
'That park-keeper, Sir, has in his house a chaplet of gold, such that there is no chaplet of gold in the king's seraglio like it. Whence should he, poor as he is, have got (such a thing)? For a certainty he has procured it by theft.'
Then the venerable Pilindava"k"kh"a determined that the palace of the Mgadha king Se"n"iya Bimbisra should be gold. And it became all of gold.
'Now, your Majesty, whence have you this so great quantity of gold?'
'I understand, Lord. This is your miraculous power' (said the king. And so saying) he set that park-keeper's family free.
9. When the people, glad at heart and full of satisfaction, saw that so great a miracle had been shown by the venerable Pilindava"k"kh"a to the king and his royal retinue, they brought to the venerable Pilindava"k"kh"a the five kinds of medicine,--that is to
p. 66
say, ghee, butter, oil, honey, and molasses. Now (besides this) the venerable Pilindava"k"kh"a was accustomed to receive the five kinds of medicine; and whatever he received he distributed among his attendant (Bhikkhus). So the retinue became abounding therein, and as they received it they laid it aside, filling vessels and pots; and filling water-strainers and bags with it they laid them in the windows, and they remained there clinging and adhering together, and the Vihras became sprinkled and scattered all over with them through the (gnawing of) rats. People who saw this, when they went round the Vihras, were annoyed, murmured, and became indignant (saying), 'These Sakyaputtiya Sama"n"as are becoming storers up of goods like the Mgadha king Se"n"iya Bimbisra.'
To. The Bhikkhus heard the people thus murmuring, &c. And those Bhikkhus who were moderate were indignant, &c., saying,
'How can Bhikkhus think (of possessing) such abundance?'
And those Bhikkhus told the matter to the Blessed One.
'Is it true, Bhikkhus, as they say, that Bhikkhus think (of possessing) such abundance?'
'It is true, Lord.'
The Blessed One rebuked them, and after delivering a religious discourse, he addressed the Bhikkhus:
'Whatsoever kinds of medicine are meet for the use of sick Bhikkhus,--that is to say, ghee, butter, oil, honey, and molasses,--when such are received they must be used within a period of seven days during which they may be stored up. Whosoever
p. 67
goes beyond that limit shall be dealt with according to law 1.'
End of the first Bh"n"avra on the law of medicines.
Footnotes
64:1 A circular roll of grass, or cloth, to be placed on the head when a pot of oil or water was being carried on the head. Compare "k"umba"t"aka, and Rh. L.'s 'Buddhist Birth Stories,' p. 295.
