I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying near Sāvatthī at Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. And on that occasion King Pasenadi Kosala had gone with Queen Mallikā to the upper palace. Then he said to her, “Mallikā, is there anyone dearer to you than yourself?”

“No, great king. There is no one dearer to me than myself. And what about you, great king? Is there anyone dearer to you than yourself?”

“No, Mallikā. There is no one dearer to me than myself.”

Then the king, descending from the palace, went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, having bowed down to him, sat to one side. As he was sitting there, he said to the Blessed One, “Just now, lord, when I had gone with Queen Mallikā to the upper palace, I said to her, ‘Mallikā, is there anyone dearer to you than yourself?’

“When this was said, she said to me, ‘No, great king. There is no one dearer to me than myself. And what about you, great king? Is there anyone dearer to you than yourself?’

“When this was said, I said to her, ‘No, Mallikā. There is no one dearer to me than myself.’”

Then, on realizing the significance of that, the Blessed One on that occasion exclaimed:

I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying near Sāvatthī at Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Then Ven. Ānanda, emerging from his seclusion in the late afternoon, went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, having bowed down to him, sat to one side. As he was sitting there he said to the Blessed One, “It’s amazing, sir. It’s astounding – how short-lived the Blessed One’s mother was. Seven days after the Blessed One’s birth she died and reappeared among the Contented [Tusita] (deva-) group.”

“That’s the way it is, Ānanda. That’s the way it is, for the mothers of bodhisattas are short-lived. Seven days after the bodhisattas’ birth, the bodhisattas’ mothers pass away and reappear among the Contented (deva-) group.”

Then, on realizing the significance of that, the Blessed One on that occasion exclaimed:

I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying near Rājagaha at the Bamboo Forest, the Squirrels’ Sanctuary. And on that occasion in Rājagaha there was a leper named Suppabuddha, a poor, pitiful wretch of a person. And on that occasion the Blessed One was sitting surrounded by a large assembly, teaching the Dhamma. Suppabuddha the leper saw the large gathering of people from afar and thought to himself, “Without a doubt, someone must be distributing staple or non-staple food there. Why don’t I go over to that large group of people, and maybe there I’ll get some staple or non-staple food.” So he went over to the large group of people. Then he saw the Blessed One sitting surrounded by a large assembly, teaching the Dhamma. On seeing this, he realized, “There’s no one distributing staple or non-staple food there. That’s Gotama the contemplative (sitting) surrounded, teaching the Dhamma. Why don’t I listen to the Dhamma?” So he sat down to one side right there, [thinking,] “I, too, will listen to the Dhamma.”

Then the Blessed One, having encompassed the awareness of the entire assembly with his awareness, asked himself, “Now who here is capable of understanding the Dhamma?” He saw Suppabuddha the leper sitting in the assembly, and on seeing him the thought occurred to him, “This person here is capable of understanding the Dhamma.” So, aiming at Suppabuddha the leper, he gave a step-by-step talk, i.e., he proclaimed a talk on generosity, on virtue, on heaven; he declared the drawbacks, degradation, & corruption of sensuality, and the rewards of renunciation. Then when the Blessed One knew that Suppabuddha the leper’s mind was ready, malleable, free from hindrances, elevated, & clear, he then gave the Dhamma-talk peculiar to Awakened Ones, i.e., stress, origination, cessation, & path. And just as a clean cloth, free of stains, would properly absorb a dye, in the same way, as Suppabuddha the leper was sitting in that very seat, the dustless, stainless Dhamma eye arose within him, “Whatever is subject to origination is all subject to cessation.”

Having seen the Dhamma, reached the Dhamma, known the Dhamma, gained a foothold in the Dhamma, having crossed over & beyond doubt, having had no more perplexity, having gained fearlessness & independence from others with regard to the Teacher’s message, he got up from his seat and went to the Blessed One. On arrival, having bowed down to the Blessed One, he sat to one side. As he was sitting there he said to the Blessed One, “Magnificent, lord! Magnificent! Just as if he were to place upright what was overturned, to reveal what was hidden, to show the way to one who was lost, or to carry a lamp into the dark so that those with eyes could see forms, in the same way has the Blessed One – through many lines of reasoning – made the Dhamma clear. I go to the Blessed One for refuge, to the Dhamma, and to the Community of monks. May the Blessed One remember me as a lay follower who has gone to him for refuge, from this day forward, for life.”

Then Suppabuddha the leper, having been instructed, urged, roused, & encouraged by the Blessed One’s Dhamma talk, delighting in & approving of the Blessed One’s words, got up from his seat, bowed down to the Blessed One and left, circling him to the right. Not long after his departure he was attacked & killed by a cow with a young calf.

Then a large number of monks went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, having bowed down to him, sat to one side. As they were sitting there, they said to the Blessed One, “Lord, the leper named Suppabuddha, whom the Blessed One instructed, urged, roused, & encouraged with a Dhamma talk, has died. What is his destination? What is his future state?”

“Monks, Suppabuddha the leper was wise. He practiced the Dhamma in accordance with the Dhamma and did not pester me with issues related to the Dhamma. With the destruction of the first three fetters, he is a stream-winner, not subject to states of deprivation, headed for self-awakening for sure.”

When this was said, one of the monks said to the Blessed One, “Lord, what was the cause, what was the reason, why Suppabuddha the leper was such a poor, pitiful wretch of a person?”

“Once, monks, in this very Rājagaha, Suppabuddha the leper was the son of a rich money-lender. While being escorted to a pleasure park, he saw Tagarasikhin the Private Buddha[1] going for alms in the city. On seeing him, the thought occurred to him, ‘Who is this leper prowling about?’ Spitting and disrespectfully turning his left side to Tagarasikhin the Private Buddha, he left. As a result of that deed he boiled in hell for many years, many hundreds of years, many thousands of years, many hundreds of thousands of years. And then as a remainder of the result of that deed he became a poor, pitiful wretch of a person in this very Rājagaha. But on encountering the Dhamma & Vinaya made known by the Tathāgata, he acquired conviction, virtue, learning, relinquishment, & discernment. Having acquired conviction, virtue, learning, relinquishment, & discernment on encountering the Dhamma & Vinaya made known by the Tathāgata, now – on the break-up of the body, after death – he has reappeared in a good destination, a heavenly world, in company with the Devas of the Heaven of the Thirty-three. There he outshines the other devas both in beauty & in rank.”

Then, on realizing the significance of that, the Blessed One on that occasion exclaimed:

I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying near Sāvatthī at Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. And on that occasion, a large number of boys on the road between Sāvatthī & Jeta’s Grove were catching fish. Then early in the morning the Blessed One adjusted his under robe and – carrying his bowl & robes – went into Sāvatthī for alms. He saw the large number of boys on the road between Sāvatthī & Jeta’s Grove catching little fish. Seeing them, he went up to them and, on arrival, said to them, “Boys, do you fear pain? Do you dislike pain?”

“Yes, lord, we fear pain. We dislike pain.”

Then, on realizing the significance of that, the Blessed One on that occasion exclaimed:

I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying near Sāvatthī at the Eastern Monastery, the palace of Migāra’s mother. And on that occasion, the Blessed One – it being the observance day – was sitting surrounded by the community of monks. Then Ven. Ānanda – when the night was far advanced, at the end of the first watch–got up from his seat, arranged his robe over one shoulder, stood facing the Blessed One, paying homage with his hands placed palm-to-palm over his heart, and said to him, “Lord, the night is far advanced. The first watch has ended. The community of monks has been sitting here long. May the Blessed One recite the Pāṭimokkha to them.” When this was said, the Blessed One remained silent.

Then a second time, when the night was far advanced, at the end of the middle watch, Ven. Ānanda got up from his seat, arranged his robe over one shoulder, stood facing the Blessed One, paying homage with his hands placed palm-to-palm over his heart, and said to him, “Lord, the night is far advanced. The second watch has ended. The community of monks has been sitting here long. May the Blessed One recite the Pāṭimokkha to them.” When this was said, the Blessed One remained silent.

Then a third time, when the night was far advanced, at the end of the last watch, as dawn was approaching and the face of the night was beaming, Ven. Ānanda got up from his seat, arranged his robe over one shoulder, stood facing the Blessed One, paying homage with his hands placed palm-to-palm over his heart, and said to him, “Lord, the night is far advanced. The last watch has ended. Dawn is approaching and the face of the night is beaming. The community of monks has been sitting here long. May the Blessed One recite the Pāṭimokkha to the community of monks.”

“Ānanda, the gathering isn’t pure.”

Then the thought occurred to Ven. Mahā Moggallāna: “In reference to which individual did the Blessed One just now say, ‘Ānanda, the gathering isn’t pure’?” So he directed his mind, encompassing with his awareness the awareness of the entire community of monks. He saw that individual – unprincipled, evil, unclean and suspect in his undertakings, hidden in his actions, not a contemplative though claiming to be one, not leading the holy life though claiming to do so, inwardly rotten, oozing with desire, filthy by nature – sitting in the midst of the community of monks. On seeing him, he got up, went over to that individual, and on reaching him said, “Get up, friend. You have been seen by the Blessed One. You have no affiliation with the community of monks.” Then the individual remained silent. A second time…. A third time, Ven. Mahā Moggallāna said, “Get up, friend. You have been seen by the Blessed One. You have no affiliation with the community of monks.” And for a third time the individual remained silent.

Then Ven. Mahā Moggallāna, grabbing that individual by the arm, having expelled him through the outside door of the porch and locking the bolt, approached the Blessed One and on arrival said, “I have expelled that individual, lord. The gathering is now pure. Let the Blessed One recite the Pāṭimokkha to the community of monks.”

“Isn’t it amazing, Moggallāna. Isn’t it astounding, how that worthless man waited until he was grabbed by the arm.” Then the Blessed One addressed the monks: “From now on I will no longer perform the observance or recite the Pāṭimokkha. From now on, you alone, monks, will perform the observance and recite the Pāṭimokkha. It is impossible, it cannot happen, that a Tathāgata would perform the observance or recite the Pāṭimokkha with an impure gathering.

“Monks, there are these eight amazing & astounding qualities of the ocean because of which, as they see them again & again, the asuras take great joy in the ocean. Which eight?

“[1] The ocean has a gradual shelf, a gradual slope, a gradual inclination, with a sudden drop-off only after a long stretch.[1] The fact that the ocean has a gradual shelf, a gradual slope, a gradual inclination, with a sudden drop-off only after a long stretch: This is the first amazing & astounding quality of the ocean because of which, as they see it again & again, the asuras take great joy in the ocean.

[2] And furthermore, the ocean is stable and does not overstep its tideline…. This is the second amazing & astounding quality of the ocean because of which, as they see it again & again, the asuras take great joy in the ocean.

[3] And furthermore, the ocean does not tolerate a dead body. Any dead body in the ocean gets quickly washed to the shore and thrown up on dry land…. This is the third amazing & astounding quality of the ocean because of which, as they see it again & again, the asuras take great joy in the ocean.

[4] And furthermore, whatever great rivers there are – such as the Ganges, the Yamunā, the Aciravatī, the Sarabhū, the Mahī – on reaching the ocean, give up their former names and are classed simply as ‘ocean’…. This is the fourth amazing & astounding quality of the ocean because of which, as they see it again & again, the asuras take great joy in the ocean.

[5] And furthermore, though the rivers of the world pour into the ocean, and rains fall from the sky, no swelling or diminishing in the ocean for that reason can be discerned…. This is the fifth amazing & astounding quality of the ocean because of which, as they see it again & again, the asuras take great joy in the ocean.

[6] And furthermore, the ocean has a single taste: that of salt…. This is the sixth amazing & astounding quality of the ocean because of which, as they see it again & again, the asuras take great joy in the ocean.

[7] And furthermore, the ocean has these many treasures of various kinds: pearls, sapphires, lapis lazuli, shells, quartz, coral, silver, gold, rubies, & cat’s eyes…. This is the seventh amazing & astounding quality of the ocean because of which, as they see it again & again, the asuras take great joy in the ocean.

[8] And furthermore, the ocean is the abode of such mighty beings as these: whales, whale-eaters, & whale-eater-eaters; asuras, nāgas, & gandhabbas. There are in the ocean beings one hundred leagues long, two hundred… three hundred… four hundred… five hundred leagues long. The fact that the ocean is the abode of such mighty beings as these: whales, whale-eaters, & whale-eater-eaters; asuras, nāgas, & gandhabbas; and there are in the ocean beings one hundred leagues long, two hundred… three hundred… four hundred… five hundred leagues long: This is the eighth amazing & astounding quality of the ocean because of which, as they see it again & again, the asuras take great joy in the ocean.

“These are the eight amazing & astounding qualities of the ocean because of which, as they see them again & again, the asuras take great joy in the ocean.

“In the same way, monks, there are eight amazing & astounding qualities of this Dhamma & Vinaya because of which, as they see them again & again, the monks take great joy in this Dhamma & Vinaya. Which eight?

[1] Just as the ocean has a gradual shelf, a gradual slope, a gradual inclination, with a sudden drop-off only after a long stretch; in the same way, this Dhamma & Vinaya has a gradual training, a gradual performance, a gradual practice, with a penetration to gnosis only after a long stretch. The fact that this Dhamma & Vinaya has a gradual training, a gradual performance, a gradual practice, with a penetration to gnosis only after a long stretch: This is the first amazing & astounding quality of this Dhamma & Vinaya because of which, as they see it again & again, the monks take great joy in this Dhamma & Vinaya.

[2] And furthermore, just as the ocean is stable and does not overstep its tideline; in the same way, my disciples do not – even for the sake of their lives – overstep the training rules I have formulated for them…. This is the second amazing & astounding quality of this Dhamma & Vinaya because of which, as they see it again & again, the monks take great joy in this Dhamma & Vinaya.

[3] And furthermore, just as the ocean does not tolerate a dead body – any dead body in the ocean getting quickly washed to the shore and thrown up on dry land – in the same way, if an individual is unprincipled, evil, unclean & suspect in his undertakings, hidden in his actions – not a contemplative though claiming to be one, not leading the holy life though claiming to do so, inwardly rotten, oozing with desire, filthy by nature – the community has no affiliation with him. Having quickly gathered together, they suspend him from the community. Even though he may be sitting in the midst of the community of monks, he is far from the community, and the community far from him…. This is the third amazing & astounding quality of this Dhamma & Vinaya because of which, as they see it again & again, the monks take great joy in this Dhamma & Vinaya.

[4] And furthermore, just as whatever great rivers there are–such as the Ganges, the Yamunā, the Aciravatī, the Sarabhū, the Mahī – on reaching the ocean, give up their former names and are classed simply as ‘ocean’; in the same way, when members of the four castes – noble warriors, brahmans, merchants, & workers – go forth from home to the homeless life in this Dhamma & Vinaya declared by the Tathāgata, they give up their former names and clans and are classed simply as ‘contemplatives, sons of the Sakyan’…. This is the fourth amazing & astounding quality of this Dhamma & Vinaya because of which, as they see it again & again, the monks take great joy in this Dhamma & Vinaya.

[5] And furthermore, just as the rivers of the world pour into the ocean, and rains fall from the sky, but no swelling or diminishing in the ocean for that reason can be discerned; in the same way, although many monks are totally unbound into the property of unbinding with no fuel remaining, no swelling or diminishing in the property of unbinding for that reason can be discerned…. This is the fifth amazing & astounding quality of this Dhamma & Vinaya because of which, as they see it again & again, the monks take great joy in this Dhamma & Vinaya.

[6] And furthermore, just as the ocean has a single taste – that of salt – in the same way, this Dhamma & Vinaya has a single taste: that of release…. This is the sixth amazing & astounding quality of this Dhamma & Vinaya because of which, as they see it again & again, the monks take great joy in this Dhamma & Vinaya.

[7] And furthermore, just as the ocean has these many treasures of various kinds – pearls, sapphires, lapis lazuli, shells, quartz, coral, silver, gold, rubies, & cat’s eyes – in the same way, this Dhamma & Vinaya has these many treasures of various kinds: the four establishings of mindfulness, the four right exertions, the four bases of power, the five faculties, the five strengths, the seven factors for awakening, the noble eightfold path…. This is the seventh amazing & astounding quality of this Dhamma & Vinaya because of which, as they see it again & again, the monks take great joy in this Dhamma & Vinaya.

[8] And furthermore, just as the ocean is the abode of such mighty beings as these: whales, whale-eaters, & whale-eater-eaters; asuras, nāgas, & gandhabbas, and there are in the ocean beings one hundred leagues long, two hundred… three hundred… four hundred… five hundred leagues long; in the same way, this Dhamma & Vinaya is the abode of such mighty beings as these: stream-winners & those practicing to realize the fruit of stream-entry; once-returners & those practicing to realize the fruit of once-returning; non-returners & those practicing to realize the fruit of non-returning; arahants & those practicing for arahantship. The fact that this Dhamma & Vinaya is the abode of such mighty beings as these–stream-winners & those practicing to realize the fruit of stream-entry; once-returners & those practicing to realize the fruit of once-returning; non-returners & those practicing to realize the fruit of non-returning; arahants & those practicing for arahantship: This is the eighth amazing & astounding quality of this Dhamma & Vinaya because of which, as they see it again & again, the monks take great joy in this Dhamma & Vinaya.

“These are the eight amazing & astounding qualities of this Dhamma & Vinaya because of which, as they see them again & again, the monks take great joy in this Dhamma & Vinaya.”

Then, on realizing the significance of that, the Blessed One on that occasion exclaimed:

I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying near Sāvatthī at Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. And on that occasion Ven. Mahā Kaccāna was living among the people of Avantī on Pavatta Mountain near the Osprey Habitat. And at that time the lay follower Soṇa Koṭikaṇṇa was Ven. Mahā Kaccāna’s supporter. Then as Soṇa Koṭikaṇṇa was alone in seclusion, this train of thought appeared to his awareness: “According to the Dhamma that Master Mahā Kaccāna teaches, it’s not easy living at home to practice the holy life totally perfect, totally pure, like a polished shell. What if I were to shave off my hair & beard, put on the ochre robes, and go forth from the household life into homelessness?”

So he went to Ven. Mahā Kaccāna and on arrival, having bowed down to Ven. Mahā Kaccāna, sat to one side. As he was sitting there he said to Ven. Mahā Kaccāna, “Just now, venerable sir, as I was alone in seclusion, this train of thought appeared to my awareness: ‘According to the Dhamma that Master Mahā Kaccāna teaches, it’s not easy living at home to practice the holy life totally perfect, totally pure, like a polished shell. What if I were to shave off my hair & beard, put on the ochre robes, and go forth from the household life into homelessness?’ Give me the going-forth, Master Mahā Kaccāna!”

When this was said, Ven. Mahā Kaccāna said to Soṇa Koṭikaṇṇa, “It’s hard, Soṇa, the life-long, one-meal-a-day, sleeping-alone holy life. Please, right there as you are a householder, devote yourself to the message of the Awakened Ones and to the proper-time [i.e., uposatha day], one-meal-a-day, sleeping-alone holy life.” And so Soṇa Koṭikaṇṇa’s idea of going-forth subsided.

Then a second time as Soṇa Koṭikaṇṇa was alone in seclusion, this train of thought appeared to his awareness: “According to the Dhamma that Master Mahā Kaccāna teaches, it’s not easy living at home to practice the holy life totally perfect, totally pure, like a polished shell. What if I were to shave off my hair & beard, put on the ochre robes, and go forth from the household life into homelessness?”

So he went to Ven. Mahā Kaccāna and on arrival, having bowed down to Ven. Mahā Kaccāna, sat to one side. As he was sitting there he said to Ven. Mahā Kaccāna, “Just now, venerable sir, as I was alone in seclusion, this train of thought appeared to my awareness: ‘According to the Dhamma that Master Mahā Kaccāna teaches, it’s not easy living at home to practice the holy life totally perfect, totally pure, like a polished shell. What if I were to shave off my hair & beard, put on the ochre robes, and go forth from the household life into homelessness?’ Give me the going-forth, Master Mahā Kaccāna!”

When this was said, Ven. Mahā Kaccāna said to Soṇa Koṭikaṇṇa, “It’s hard, Soṇa, the life-long, one-meal-a-day, sleeping-alone holy life. Please, right there as you are a householder, devote yourself to the message of the Awakened Ones and to the proper-time, one-meal-a-day, sleeping-alone holy life.” And so Soṇa Koṭikaṇṇa’s idea of going-forth subsided a second time.

Then a third time as Soṇa Koṭikaṇṇa was alone in seclusion, this train of thought appeared to his awareness: “According to the Dhamma that Master Mahā Kaccāna teaches, it’s not easy living at home to practice the holy life totally perfect, totally pure, like a polished shell. What if I were to shave off my hair & beard, put on the ochre robes, and go forth from the household life into homelessness?”

So he went to Ven. Mahā Kaccāna and on arrival, having bowed down to Ven. Mahā Kaccāna, sat to one side. As he was sitting there he said to Ven. Mahā Kaccāna, “Just now, venerable sir, as I was alone in seclusion, this train of thought appeared to my awareness: ‘According to the Dhamma that Master Mahā Kaccāna teaches, it’s not easy living at home to practice the holy life totally perfect, totally pure, like a polished shell. What if I were to shave off my hair & beard, put on the ochre robes, and go forth from the household life into homelessness?’ Give me the going-forth, Master Mahā Kaccāna!”

So Ven. Mahā Kaccāna gave Soṇa Koṭikaṇṇa the going-forth.

Now at that time the southern country of Avantī was short of monks. So only after three years–having gathered from here & there with hardship & difficulty a quorum-of-ten community of monks[5] – did Ven. Mahā Kaccāna give full admission to Ven. Soṇa. Then, after having completed the Rains retreat, as he was alone in seclusion, this train of thought appeared to Ven. Soṇa’s awareness: “I haven’t seen the Blessed One face-to-face. I’ve simply heard that he is like this and like this. If my preceptor would give me permission, I would go to see the Blessed One, worthy & rightly self-awakened.”

So, leaving seclusion in the late afternoon, he went to Ven. Mahā Kaccāna and, on arrival, having bowed down to him, sat to one side. As he was sitting there, he said to Ven. Mahā Kaccāna, “Just now, venerable sir, as I was alone in seclusion, this train of thought appeared to my awareness: ‘I haven’t seen the Blessed One face-to-face. I’ve simply heard that he is like this and like this. If my preceptor would give me permission, I would go to see the Blessed One, worthy & rightly self-awakened.’”

“Good, Soṇa. Very good. Go, Soṇa, to see the Blessed One, worthy & rightly self-awakened. You will see the Blessed One who is serene & inspires serene confidence, his senses at peace, his mind at peace, one who has attained the utmost tranquility & poise, tamed, guarded, his senses restrained, a Great One (nāga). On seeing him, showing reverence with your head to his feet in my name,[2] ask whether he is free from illness & affliction, is carefree, strong, & living in comfort, [saying: ‘My preceptor, lord, shows reverence with his head to your feet and asks whether you are free from illness & affliction, are carefree, strong, & living in comfort.’”[3]

Saying, “As you say, venerable sir,” Ven. Soṇa – delighting in & approving of Ven. Mahā Kaccāna’s words – got up from his seat, bowed down to Ven. Mahā Kaccāna, circled him to the right, set his lodging in order, and – taking his bowl & robesv – set off wandering toward Sāvatthī. Wandering by stages, he arrived at Sāvatthī, Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. He went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, having bowed down to him, sat to one side. As he was sitting there, he said to the Blessed One, “Lord, my preceptor, Ven. Mahā Kaccāna, shows reverence with his head to the Blessed One’s feet and asks whether the Blessed One is free from illness & affliction, is carefree, strong, & living in comfort.”

“Are you well, monk? Are you in good health? Have you come along the road with only a little fatigue? And are you not tired of alms-food?”

“I am well, Blessed One. I am in good health, Blessed One. I have come along the road, lord, with only a little fatigue and I am not tired of alms-food.”

Then the Blessed One addressed Ven. Ānanda, saying, “Ānanda, prepare bedding for this visiting monk.”

Then the thought occurred to Ven. Ānanda, “When the Blessed One orders me, ‘Ānanda, prepare bedding for this visiting monk,’ he wants to stay in the same dwelling with that monk. The Blessed One wants to stay in the same dwelling with Ven. Soṇa.” So he prepared bedding for Ven. Soṇa in the dwelling in which the Blessed One was staying. Then the Blessed One, having spent much of the night sitting in the open air, washed his feet and entered the dwelling. Likewise, Ven. Soṇa, having spent much of the night sitting in the open air, washed his feet and entered the dwelling. Then, getting up toward the end of the night, the Blessed One invited Ven. Mahā Soṇa,[4] saying, “Monk, I would like you to recite the Dhamma.”

Responding, “As you say, lord,” to the Blessed One, Ven. Soṇa chanted all sixteen parts of the Aṭṭhaka Vagga.[5] The Blessed One, at the conclusion of Ven. Soṇa’s intonation, expressed high approval: “Good, monk. Very good. You have learned the Aṭṭhaka Vagga [verses] well, have considered them well, have borne them well in mind. You have a fine delivery, clear & faultless, that makes the meaning intelligible. How many Rains [in the monkhood] do you have?”

“I have one Rains, Blessed One.”

“But why did you take so long [to ordain]?”

“For a long time, lord, I have seen the drawbacks in sensuality, but the household life is confining with many duties, many things to be done.”

Then, on realizing the significance of that, the Blessed One on that occasion exclaimed:

I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying near Sāvatthī at Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. And on that occasion Ven. Revata the Doubter was sitting not far from the Blessed One, his legs crossed, his body held erect, reflecting on [his] purification through the overcoming of doubt. The Blessed One saw Ven. Revata the Doubter sitting not far away, his legs crossed, his body held erect, reflecting on [his] purification through the overcoming of doubt.

Then, on realizing the significance of that, the Blessed One on that occasion exclaimed:

I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying near Rājagaha at the Bamboo Forest, the Squirrels’ refuge. And on that occasion, early in the morning of the uposatha, Ven. Ānanda adjusted his under robe and – carrying his bowl & robes – went into Rājagaha for alms. Devadatta saw Ven. Ānanda going for alms in Rājagaha and, on seeing him, went to him. On arrival, he said to him, “From this day forward, friend Ānanda, I will conduct the uposatha & community transactions apart from the Blessed One, apart from the community of monks.”

Then Ven. Ānanda – having gone for alms in Rājagaha, after the meal, returning from his alms round – went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, having bowed down to him, sat to one side. As he was sitting there he said to the Blessed One, “Just now, lord, after adjusting my under robe early in the morning and carrying my bowl & robes, I went into Rājagaha for alms. Devadatta saw me going for alms in Rājagaha and, on seeing me, went up to me. On arrival, he said to me, ‘From this day forward, friend Ānanda, I will conduct the uposatha & community transactions apart from the Blessed One, apart from the community of monks.’ Lord, today Devadatta will split the community. He will conduct the uposatha & community transactions [apart from the community].”

Then, on realizing the significance of that, the Blessed One on that occasion exclaimed:

I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was wandering among the Kosalans with a large community of monks. And on that occasion, a large number of youths passed by as if jeering[1] not far from the Blessed One. The Blessed One saw the large number of youths passing by as if jeering not far away.

Then, on realizing the significance of that, the Blessed One on that occasion exclaimed:

I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying near Sāvatthī at Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. And on that occasion Ven. Cūḷa Panthaka was sitting not far from the Blessed One, his legs crossed, his body held erect, with mindfulness established to the fore. The Blessed One saw Ven. Cūḷa Panthaka sitting not far away, his legs crossed, his body held erect, with mindfulness established to the fore.

Then, on realizing the significance of that, the Blessed One on that occasion exclaimed: