On Bimbisāra’s gathering

Then the Lord, having stayed at Gayā Head for as long as he found suiting, set out on tour for Rājagaha together with the large Order of monks, with all those same thousand monks who had formerly been matted hair ascetics. Then the Lord, walking on tour, in due course arrived at Rājagaha. The Lord stayed there at Rājagaha in the Palm Grove pleasure ground^[1] in the Supatiṭṭha shrine.^[2]

^Kd.1.22.2 Then King Seniya Bimbisāra of Magadha heard: “Verily, the recluse Gotama, the son of the Sakyans, who has gone forth from the Sakyan clan, has reached Rājagaha and is ^BD.4.47 staying at Rājagaha in the Palm Grove pleasure ground in the Supatiṭṭha shrine. A lovely reputation has gone forth concerning the Lord Gotama, thus: He is indeed Lord, perfected one, fully awakened one, endowed with knowledge and conduct, well-farer, knower of the worlds, unrivalled charioteer of men to be tamed, teacher of devas and mankind, awakened one, Lord. Having realised them by his own super-knowledge, he makes known this world with its devas, with its Māras, with its Brahmās, creatures with devas and men, with recluses and brahmins. He teaches dhamma, lovely at the beginning, lovely in the middle, lovely at the ending. He explains with the spirit and the letter the Brahma-faring completely fulfilled and wholly pure. Good indeed it were to see perfected ones like this.”

^Kd.1.22.3 Then King Seniya Bimbisāra of Magadha, surrounded by twelve myriad^[3] brahmins and householders^[4] of Magadha, approached the Lord; having approached, having greeted the Lord, he sat down at a respectful distance. Then some of these twelve myriad ^Vin.1.36 brahmins and householders of Magadha having greeted the Lord, sat down at a respectful distance; some exchanged greetings with the Lord, and having exchanged greetings of friendliness and courtesy, they sat down at a respectful distance; some having saluted the Lord with joined palms, sat down at a respectful distance; some having shouted out their name and clan before the Lord, sat down at a respectful distance; some having become silent, sat down at a respectful distance.

^Kd.1.22.4 Then it occurred to those twelve myriad brahmins and householders of Magadha: “Now,^[5] does the great recluse fare the Brahma-faring under Kassapa of Uruvelā, or does Kassapa of Uruvelā fare the Brahma-faring under the great recluse?” Then the Lord, knowing with his mind the reasoning in the minds of those twelve myriad brahmins and householders of Magadha, addressed Kassapa of Uruvelā with the verses:

^BD.4.48“What hast thou seen, O dweller in Uruvelā,
That thou, known as emaciate^[6], hast abandoned the (sacred) fire?
I ask thee about this matter, Kassapa:
Hast thou abandoned thy fire-implements?”

“The sacrifices speak of forms and sounds,
Also of tastes^[7], pleasures and women.
Knowing that ‘This is dross’ among affections—
Therefore I delighted not in sacrifice, in offering.”

^Kd.1.22.5 “But if your mind delights not there, Kassapa,” the Lord said,
“Among forms, sounds and also tastes,
Then in the world of devas and men what does your mind delight in?
Kassapa, tell me that.”

“When I had seen the path, peaceful, without substrate,^[8]
Stainless^[9], not attached to sensations’ becoming,
Not becoming otherwise^[10], where one cannot be led by others^[11]—
In consequence, I delighted not in sacrifice, in offering.”

^Kd.1.22.6 Then the venerable Kassapa of Uruvelā, rising from his seat, having arranged his upper robe over one shoulder, having inclined his head towards the Lord’s feet, spoke thus to the Lord: “Lord, the Lord is my teacher, I am a disciple^[12]; Lord, the Lord is my teacher, I am a disciple.” Then it occurred to those twelve myriad Brahmins and householders of Magadha: “Kassapa of Uruvelā fares the Brahma-faring under the great recluse.”

^Kd.1.22.7 Then the Lord, knowing by mind the reasoning in the minds of these twelve myriad Brahmins and householders of Magadha, ^{BD.4.49 Vin.1.37} talked a progressive talk … stopping, the Way.^[13]

^Kd.1.22.8 And as a clean cloth without black specks will easily take a dye, even so as the twelve myriad Brahmins and householders of Magadha with Bimbisāra at their head were (sitting) in those very seats, dhamma-vision, dustless, stainless, arose to them, that “Whatever is of the nature to uprise, all that is of the nature to stop,” and one myriad declared themselves to be lay-followers.

^Kd.1.22.9 Then King Bimbisāra of Magadha, having seen dhamma, attained dhamma, known dhamma, plunged into dhamma, having crossed over doubt, put away uncertainty, having attained without another’s help to full confidence in the teacher’s instruction, spoke thus to the Lord: “Formerly, Lord, when I was a young man I had five ambitions.^[14] These are now realised^[15] by me.

1. “Formerly, Lord, when I was a young man it occurred to me: ‘Might I be anointed into kingship.’ This was my first ambition, Lord. It has now been realised by me.
2. And ‘Might the perfected one, the fully awakened one come into my realm.’ This, Lord, was my second ambition. It has now been realised by me.^Kd.1.22.10
3. “And ‘That I might pay homage to this Lord.’ This, Lord, was my third ambition. It has now been realised by me.
4. “And ‘May that Lord teach me dhamma.’ This, Lord, was my fourth ambition. It has now been realised by me.
5. “And ‘Might I understand that Lord’s dhamma.’ This, Lord, was my fifth ambition. It has now been realised by me.

“Formerly, Lord, when I was a young man I had these five ambitions. They are now realised by me.

^Kd.1.22.11 “Excellent, Lord! Excellent, Lord! Even, Lord, as one might set upright what has been upset^[16] … even so is dhamma explained in many a figure by the Lord. So I, Lord, go to the Lord^[17] as refuge and to dhamma and to the Order of monks. Lord, may the Lord accept me as a lay-disciple gone for refuge from this day forth for as long as life lasts. And, Lord, may the Lord consent ^Vin.1.38 to a meal with me to-morrow together with the Order of monks.” The Lord consented by becoming silent.

^{Kd.1.22.12 BD.4.50} Then King Seniya Bimbisāra of Magadha, having understood the Lord’s consent, rising from his seat, having greeted the Lord, departed keeping his right side towards him. Then King Seniya Bimbisāra of Magadha, having had sumptuous food, solid and soft, prepared, at the end of that night had the time announced to the Lord, saying: “Lord, it is time, the meal is ready.” Then the Lord, having dressed in the morning, taking his bowl and robe, entered Rājagaha together with the large Order of monks, with all those same thousand monks who had formerly been matted-hair ascetics.

---

^Kd.1.22.13 Now at that time Sakka, lord of the devas, having assumed the form of a Brahmin youth, walked in front of the Order of monks with the Lord at its head, singing these verses:

“The tamed with the tamed,
with the former matted-hair ascetics,
the well freed^[18] with the well freed,
The Lord, beautifully coloured like a golden ornament,^[19]
entered Rājagaha.

“The freed^[20] with the freed,
with the former matted-hair ascetics,
the well freed with the well freed,
The Lord, beautifully coloured like a golden ornament,
entered Rājagaha.

“The crossed over with the crossed over,
with the former matted-hair ascetics,
the well freed with the well freed,
The Lord, beautifully coloured like a golden ornament,
entered Rājagaha.

“He of the ten states,^[21]
of the ten powers,^[22]
versed in the ten things,^[23]
and furnished with the ten,^[24]
He, the Lord, surrounded by ten hundred,
entered Rājagaha.^[25]”

^Kd.1.22.14 People having seen Sakka, lord of the devas, spoke thus: “Indeed this brahmin youth is lovely, indeed this brahmin youth is good to look upon, indeed this brahmin youth is ^BD.4.51 charming. Whose, now, is this brahmin youth?” When they had spoken thus, Sakka, lord of the devas, addressed these people with a verse:

“He who is steadfast, tamed in every way,
awakened, peerless among men,
Perfected, well-farer,
I am his attendant in the world.”^[26]

^Kd.1.22.15 Then the Lord approached the dwelling of King Seniya Bimbisāra of Magadha; having approached he sat down on the appointed seat together with the Order of monks. Then King Seniya Bimbisāra of Magadha, with his own hand having offered, having satisfied the Order of monks with the awakened one at its head with sumptuous food, solid and soft, when the Lord had eaten and had withdrawn his hand from the bowl, sat down at a respectful distance. ^Vin.1.39

^Kd.1.22.16 As he was sitting down at a respectful distance it occurred to King Seniya Bimbisāra of Magadha: “Now, where could the Lord stay that would be neither too far from a village nor too near, suitable for coming and going, accessible for people whenever they want^[27], not crowded by day, having little noise at night, little sound, without folk’s breath, haunts of privacy, suitable for seclusion?”^[28]

^Kd.1.22.17 Then it occurred to King Seniya Bimbisāra of Magadha: “Now, this Bamboo Grove of ours, a pleasure park,^[29] is neither too far from a village … suitable for seclusion. Suppose I were to give the Bamboo Grove, a pleasure park, to the Order of the monks with the awakened one at its head?”

^Kd.1.22.18 Then King Seniya Bimbisāra of Magadha, having taken a ceremonial vessel made of gold, dedicated it to the Lord, saying: “May I, Lord, give this Bamboo Grove, a pleasure park, to the Order of monks with the awakened one at its head?” The Lord accepted the park.^[30] Then the Lord, having gladdened, rejoiced, roused, delighted King Seniya Bimbisāra of Magadha with talk on dhamma, having risen ^BD.4.52 from his seat, departed. Then the Lord, on this occasion having given reasoned talk, addressed the monks, saying: “Monks, I allow a park.^[31]”

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Laṭṭhivanuyyāna, literally the pleasance, pleasure ground or park of the grove of sprouts (or canes or sticks). Vin-a.972 explains by tāluyyāna, the palmyra, or talipot-palm pleasance. Cf. Ja.i.68, Ja.i.84; and Dictionary of Pali Proper Names.

[2]:

Vin-a.972 calls this a round tree. See E.J. Thomas, Life of Buddha, p.230.

[3]:

nahuti. Cf. Snp.677. Exact meaning unknown, but some high number. Vin-a.972 says “here one nahuta is ten thousand.”

[4]:

brāhmaṇagahapatika, not “brahmin householders” as at Burlingame, Buddhist Legends i.197, but as at Vinaya Texts i.137 (where see note) and above. For see definition of “householder” at Vin.3.222, “setting aside king … and Brahmin, he who remains is called ‘householder’.”

[5]:

Cf. Ja.vi.220; To end of second verse quoted at Bv-a.20.

[6]:

kisako vadāno; see note Vinaya Texts i.138, n.1.

[7]:

rūpe ca sadde ca atho rase; cf. Snp.974.

[8]:

anupadhīka, i.e. without substrate for or attachment to rebirth.

[9]:

akiñcanaṃ kāmabhave asattaṃ, also at Snp.176, Snp.1059, Snp.1091. Akiñcana can also mean “having nothing”, “calling nothing one’s own”, see Vinaya Texts i.139, n.1. Vin-a.973 says of it that it means without the stain of passion.

[10]:

anaññathābhāviṃ, i.e. there is no becoming (for the path) as to birth, decrepitude, dying (according to Vin-a.973). Cf. SN.iii.225, SN.iv.23, SN.iv.66.

[11]:

anaññaneyyaṃ. Vin-a.973 says that one should oneself, by making the Way become, come to the path and should not be brought to it by anyone else. Cf. Snp.55, Snp.213, Snp.364.

[12]:

Ja.vi.220, Bv-a.20.

[13]:

As above, Kd.1.7.5–1.7.6.

[14]:

assāsaka.

[15]:

samiddha, well effected.

[16]:

As above, Kd.1.7.10.

[17]:

bhagavantaṃ.

[18]:

vippamutta.

[19]:

singīnikkhasuvaṇṇa. Cf. SN.ii.234. Gold is the colour for immortality.

[20]:

mutta.

[21]:

dasavāsa. Ten ariya-vāsā given at DN.iii.269, AN.v.29.

[22]:

dasabala became an epithet of this and the previous Buddhas.

[23]:

According to Vin-a.973 the ten paths of action.

[24]:

According to Vin-a.973 the ten factors of an adept, asekhehi aṅgehi upeto. Cf. the adept’s ten qualities, dhammā, at AN.v.222, and his ten powers, balāni, at Ps.ii.173: both consist of the eight “fitnesses” of the eightfold Way with the addition of right knowledge and right freedom.

[25]:

Quoted at Ja.i.84.

[26]:

Ja.i.84.

[27]:

atthikānaṃ-atthikānaṃ, explained at Vin-a.974 as going up to the awakened one and hearing dhamma.

[28]:

This is stock, Vin.2.158, DN.iii.38, MN.ii.118, MN.iii.13, AN.iv.88, Vb.224.

[29]:

uyyāna; see definition at Vin.4.298. (BD.3.325).

[30]:

uyyāna; see definition at Vin.4.298. (BD.3.325).

[31]:

Ārāma, a park, and then a monastery.