Sixth Khandhaka. Chapter 30
30.
1. Now the courtezan Ambapl heard that the Blessed One had arrived at Ko"t"igma. And the courtezan Ambapl ordered a number of magnificent vehicles to be made ready, mounted one of these vehicles, and left Vesl with her magnificent vehicles in order to visit the Blessed One. She
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went in the carriage as far as the ground was passable for carriages; there she alighted; and she proceeded on foot to the place where the Blessed One was. Having approached him and respectfully saluted the Blessed One, she sat down near him.
2. When she was sitting near him, the Blessed One taught, incited, animated, and gladdened the courtezan Ambapl by religious discourse. And the courtezan Ambapl, having been taught, &c., by the Blessed One by religious discourse, said to the Blessed One: 'Might the Blessed One, Lord, consent to take his meal with me to-morrow together with the fraternity of Bhikkhus.'
The Blessed One expressed his consent by remaining silent.
Then the courtezan Ambapl, when she understood that the Blessed One had accepted her invitation, rose from her seat, respectfully saluted the Blessed One, and, passing round him with her right side towards him, went away.
3. Now the Li"k"kh"avis of Vesl heard that the Blessed One had arrived at Ko"t"igma. And the Li"k"kh"avis of Vesl ordered a number of magnificent vehicles to be made ready, mounted these vehicles, and left Vesl with their magnificent vehicles in order to visit the Blessed One. Some of the Li"k"kh"avis were dark, dark in colour, and wearing dark clothes and ornaments; some of them. were fair, fair in colour, and wearing light clothes and ornaments; some of them were red, ruddy in colour, and wearing red clothes and ornaments; some of them were white, pale in colour, and wearing white colours and ornaments. And the courtezan Ambapl drove up against the young
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[paragraph continues] Li"k"kh"avis, pole to pole, yoke to yoke, wheel to wheel, axle to axle. [4.] And those Li"k"kh"avis said to the courtezan Ambapl: 'How is it, Ambapl, that you drive up against the young Li"k"kh"avis, pole to pole, &c.?'
My Lords, I have just invited the Blessed One with the fraternity of Bhikkhus for their morrow's meal.'
'Ambapl! give up this meal to us for a hundred thousand.'
'My Lords, were you to offer all Vesl with its subject territory, I would not give up this meal.' Then the Li"k"kh"avis snapped their fingers (exclaiming), 'We are outdone by this woman 1! we are out-reached by this woman 1!'
4. Then the Li"k"kh"avis went to the place where the Blessed One was. And the Blessed One saw the Li"k"kh"avis coming from afar; when he saw them, he addressed the Bhikkhus and said: 'O Bhikkhus, let those of the Bhikkhus who have never seen the Tvati"m"sa gods, gaze upon this company of the Li"k"kh"avis, behold this company of the Li"k"kh"avis, compare this company of the Li"k"kh"avis, even as a company of Tvati"m"sa gods!' And the Li"k"kh"avis went in the carriages as far as the ground was passable for carriages (&c., as in 1, 2, down to:) 'Might the Blessed One, Lord, consent to take his meal with us to-morrow together with the fraternity of Bhikkhus.'
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'I have promised, O Li"k"kh"avis, to dine to-morrow with Ambapl the courtezan.'
5. And the Blessed One, after having dwelt at Ko"t"igma as long as he thought fit, went to "tik. There the Blessed One dwelt at "tik, in the Brick Hall (Gi"g"akvasatha). And when the night had elapsed, the courtezan Ambapl ordered in her park excellent food (&c., as in chap. 28. 10 1, down to:) she sat down near him. Sitting near him the courtezan Ambapl said to the Blessed One: 'I give up this Ambapl grove, Lord, to the fraternity of Bhikkhus with the Buddha at its head.' The Blessed One accepted the rma. Then the Blessed One, after having taught, incited, animated, and gladdened the courtezan Ambapl by religious discourse, rose from his seat and went to the Mahvana. There the Blessed One dwelt at Vesl, in the Mahvana, in the K"t"gra-sl.
"End of the Li"k"kh"avi Bh"n"avra.
Footnotes
107:1 Ambakya, which Buddhaghosa explains by itthikya, comp. the well-known Mantra, V"g"asaneyi Sa"m"hit 23. 18: Ambe ambike 'mblike, &c. Probably the word ambak is a contemptuous form intended here at the same time to convey an allusion to the mango- (amba-) gardens which Ambapl possessed, and from which she was named. Comp. Rh. D.'s note at Mahparinibbna Sutta Ii, 19.
108:1 Replace 'the Magadha ministers Sundha and Vassakra' by the courtezan Ambapl,' and instead of 'Reverend Gotama,' read 'Lord.'
1. Now the courtezan Ambapl heard that the Blessed One had arrived at Ko"t"igma. And the courtezan Ambapl ordered a number of magnificent vehicles to be made ready, mounted one of these vehicles, and left Vesl with her magnificent vehicles in order to visit the Blessed One. She
p. 106
went in the carriage as far as the ground was passable for carriages; there she alighted; and she proceeded on foot to the place where the Blessed One was. Having approached him and respectfully saluted the Blessed One, she sat down near him.
2. When she was sitting near him, the Blessed One taught, incited, animated, and gladdened the courtezan Ambapl by religious discourse. And the courtezan Ambapl, having been taught, &c., by the Blessed One by religious discourse, said to the Blessed One: 'Might the Blessed One, Lord, consent to take his meal with me to-morrow together with the fraternity of Bhikkhus.'
The Blessed One expressed his consent by remaining silent.
Then the courtezan Ambapl, when she understood that the Blessed One had accepted her invitation, rose from her seat, respectfully saluted the Blessed One, and, passing round him with her right side towards him, went away.
3. Now the Li"k"kh"avis of Vesl heard that the Blessed One had arrived at Ko"t"igma. And the Li"k"kh"avis of Vesl ordered a number of magnificent vehicles to be made ready, mounted these vehicles, and left Vesl with their magnificent vehicles in order to visit the Blessed One. Some of the Li"k"kh"avis were dark, dark in colour, and wearing dark clothes and ornaments; some of them. were fair, fair in colour, and wearing light clothes and ornaments; some of them were red, ruddy in colour, and wearing red clothes and ornaments; some of them were white, pale in colour, and wearing white colours and ornaments. And the courtezan Ambapl drove up against the young
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[paragraph continues] Li"k"kh"avis, pole to pole, yoke to yoke, wheel to wheel, axle to axle. [4.] And those Li"k"kh"avis said to the courtezan Ambapl: 'How is it, Ambapl, that you drive up against the young Li"k"kh"avis, pole to pole, &c.?'
My Lords, I have just invited the Blessed One with the fraternity of Bhikkhus for their morrow's meal.'
'Ambapl! give up this meal to us for a hundred thousand.'
'My Lords, were you to offer all Vesl with its subject territory, I would not give up this meal.' Then the Li"k"kh"avis snapped their fingers (exclaiming), 'We are outdone by this woman 1! we are out-reached by this woman 1!'
4. Then the Li"k"kh"avis went to the place where the Blessed One was. And the Blessed One saw the Li"k"kh"avis coming from afar; when he saw them, he addressed the Bhikkhus and said: 'O Bhikkhus, let those of the Bhikkhus who have never seen the Tvati"m"sa gods, gaze upon this company of the Li"k"kh"avis, behold this company of the Li"k"kh"avis, compare this company of the Li"k"kh"avis, even as a company of Tvati"m"sa gods!' And the Li"k"kh"avis went in the carriages as far as the ground was passable for carriages (&c., as in 1, 2, down to:) 'Might the Blessed One, Lord, consent to take his meal with us to-morrow together with the fraternity of Bhikkhus.'
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'I have promised, O Li"k"kh"avis, to dine to-morrow with Ambapl the courtezan.'
5. And the Blessed One, after having dwelt at Ko"t"igma as long as he thought fit, went to "tik. There the Blessed One dwelt at "tik, in the Brick Hall (Gi"g"akvasatha). And when the night had elapsed, the courtezan Ambapl ordered in her park excellent food (&c., as in chap. 28. 10 1, down to:) she sat down near him. Sitting near him the courtezan Ambapl said to the Blessed One: 'I give up this Ambapl grove, Lord, to the fraternity of Bhikkhus with the Buddha at its head.' The Blessed One accepted the rma. Then the Blessed One, after having taught, incited, animated, and gladdened the courtezan Ambapl by religious discourse, rose from his seat and went to the Mahvana. There the Blessed One dwelt at Vesl, in the Mahvana, in the K"t"gra-sl.
"End of the Li"k"kh"avi Bh"n"avra.
Footnotes
107:1 Ambakya, which Buddhaghosa explains by itthikya, comp. the well-known Mantra, V"g"asaneyi Sa"m"hit 23. 18: Ambe ambike 'mblike, &c. Probably the word ambak is a contemptuous form intended here at the same time to convey an allusion to the mango- (amba-) gardens which Ambapl possessed, and from which she was named. Comp. Rh. D.'s note at Mahparinibbna Sutta Ii, 19.
108:1 Replace 'the Magadha ministers Sundha and Vassakra' by the courtezan Ambapl,' and instead of 'Reverend Gotama,' read 'Lord.'
