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p. 102

## CHAPTER VII.

### Cula.

1. Thus have I heard. On a certain occasion the Blessed One dwelt at Savatthi, in the Jetavana, the garden of Anâthapindika.

Now at that time the venerable Sâriputta was instructing, arousing, animating and gladdening the venerable Dwarf Bhaddiya with manifold religious discourses.

And thus instructed, aroused, animated and gladdened by the mainfold religions discourses of the venerable Sariputta, the heart of the venerable Dwarf Bhaddiya was set free from 'attachment' and the sins.

And the Blessed One perceived that the heart of the venerable Bhaddiya was set free from 'attachment' and the sins, through the manifold religious discourses of the venerable Sâriputta.

And the Blessed One, in this connection, on that occasion, breathed forth this solemn utterance:

"Above, below, in every respect emancipated, Perceiving that there is no 'Ego', Such a one, free, has crossed the flood, not crossed before, And is reborn no more."

p. 103

2. Thus have I heard. At that time the Blessed One dwelt at Savatthi, in the Jetavana, the garden of Anâthapindika.

And the venerable Sâriputta thinking that the venerable Dwarf Bhaddiya was yet but a novice, instructed, aroused, animated and gladdened him with manifold religious discourses.

And the Blessed One perceived the venerable Sâriputta instructing, arousing, animating and gladdening the venerable Dwarf Bhaddiya (whom he thought yet a novice) with manifold religious discourses.

And the Blessed One, in this connection, on that occasion breathed forth this solemn utterance:

"The wheel is broken. The 'desire-less' attained. The river bed is dry, no water flows, No more the broken wheel will roll; This is the end of sorrow".

3. Thus have I heard. On a certain occasion the Blessed One dwelt at Savatthi, in the Jetavana, the garden of Anâthapindika.

Now at that time a number of men were living at Savatthi and all of them were in bondage to the passions, inflamed, glutted, seized and infatuated to excess with lust, falling into sin and impregnated with lust.

And a number of Bhikkhus, robing themselves in the forenoon and taking their alms-bowls and tunics entered Savatthi for alms, and when they had returned from their rounds in Savatthi and finished their meal, they went to where the Blessed One was, and drawing near, they saluted the Blessed One and sat down apart and while p. 104 thus sitting they said to the Blessed One: "at this time, Sire, a number of men are passing their days in Savatthi, in bondage to the passions etc. [as above. Transl.]."

And the Blessed One in this connection, on that occasion, breathed forth this solemn utterance:

"These are beings inflamed with lust, Bound in the bonds of passion, Who perceive no evil in the 'fetters'. Verily these who are bound by the fetters of human passion, Cross not the great and mighty flood (of evil which overwhelms humanity.)"

4. Thus have I heard. On a certain occasion the Blessed One dwelt at Savatthi, in the Jetavana, the garden of Anâthapindika.

At that time a number of men were living at Savatthi, and all of them were in bondage to the passions, inflamed, glutted, seized and infatuated to excess with lust, falling into sin, blinded and impregnated with lust.

And the Blessed One, robing himself in the forenoon and taking his alms-bowl and tunic entered Savatthi for alms.

And the Blessed One beheld these men living at Savatthi and all of them in bondage to the passions, inflamed etc. [as above. Transl.].

And the Blessed One, in this connection, on that occasion, breathed forth this solemn utterance:

"These people blinded with lust, entangled, Clothed in the garments of desire, Imprisoned in the bonds of indolence-- p. 105 Like fish in a funnel-shaped net-- They hasten onwards to decay and death, As a sucking calf to its mother."

5. Thus have I heard, On a certain occasion the Blessed One dwelt at Savatthi, in the Jetavana, the garden of Anâthapindika.

Now at that time the venerable dwarf Bhaddiya, following step by step in the wake of a large number of Bhikkhus, came to where the Blessed One was.

And when the Blessed One beheld the venerable dwarf Bhaddiya, coming along in the wake of the Bhikkhus, ill-favored, evil to behold, lowly in gait and despised by the majority of the Bhikkhus, he called the Bhikkhus to him and said: "Behold, O Bhikkhus, this mendicant approaching from afar, ill-favored, evil to behold, lowly in gait, and despised by the majority of Bhikkhus,"

"Even so, Sire."

"This mendicant, O Bhikkhus, is mighty in power, great in strength: this state of perfection, not formerly attained by this Bhikkhu, is not easily attained; for the sake of which scions of noble family abandon their homes for homelessness and by themselves in this very existence, through the higher knowledge, realize and attain to that supreme consummation, the holy life."

And the Blessed One, in this connection, on that occasion, breathed forth this solemn utterance:

"The cart rolls on, on one wheel only, But faultless in body, canopied in white: So, see this (miserable dwarf) coming along; He has conquered sorrow, cut off the streams of lust, p. 106 And freed himself from the bonds (of the desire of future life)."

6. Thus have I heard. On a certain occassion the Blessed One dwelt at Savatthi, in the Jetavana, the garden of Anâthapindika.

Now at that time the venerable Annâtakondanna was sitting not far from the Blessed One, in a cross-legged position, with body erect contemplating the deliverance that comes through destruction of desire.

And the Blessed One beheld the venerable Annâtakondanna, sitting, not far off, in a cross-legged position, with body erect, contemplating the deliverance that comes from destruction of desire.

And the Blessed One, in this connection, on that occasion, breathed forth this solemn utterance:

"Where there is neither root, nor earth, nor leaf, How can there be the creeping plant?1 Who is worthy to reproach the strong man who has escaped from the bonds? Even the gods praise such a one and by Brahma, too, is he extolled."

7. Thus have I heard. On a certain occasion the Blessed One dwelt at Savatthi, in the Jetavana, the garden of Anâthapindika.

Now at that time the Blessed One was sitting, wrapt in meditation on his own abandonment of consciousness and reasoning in connection with the hindrances.'2

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And the Blessed One perceiving his own abandonment of consciousness and reasoning, in connection with the hindrances, at that time breathed forth this solemn utterance:

"He to whom no hindrance remains, Who has overcome all bonds and obstacles Such a saint living free from desire, Nor gods nor men despise."

8. Thus have I heard. On a certain occasion the Blessed One dwelt at Savatthi, in the Jetavana, the garden of Anâthapindika.

Now at that time the venerable Mahakaccana was sitting, not far from the Blessed One, in a cross-legged position, with body erect, thoroughly setting before him subjective reflection on the impurity of the body.

And the Blessed One beheld the venerable Mahakaccana, sitting near, in a cross-legged position with body erect, thoroughly setting before him subjective reflection on the impurity of the body.

And the Blessed One, in this connection, on that occasion, breathed forth this solemn utterance:

"He who at all times and continually meditates on the impurity of the body; (It is not, to me it may not be, it will not be, to me it will not be): He, passing on from state to state, in due course, Will cross the poison-streams of desire."

9. Thus have I heard. At that time the Blessed One, in company with the Brotherhood, was traversing the Malla p. 108 country and he came to Thuna, a Brahman village, in the Malla country.

And the Brahman housholders of Thuna, on hearing that the Samana Gotama--he who had gone forth from a Sakya family--was traversing the Malla country in company with the Brotherhood and had arrived at Thuna, they filled up the well to the brim with grass and straw, so that these shaven monks, as they called them, should not obtain water to drink.

And the Blessed One, leaving the road, went to the foot of a tree and drawing near sat down on the appointed seat and while thus sitting he said to Ananda: "Bring me, I pray, Ananda, some water from that well."

When these words had been spoken, the venerable Ananda said to the Blessed One: "That well, Sire, has been filled up to the brim with grass and straw by the Brahman housholders of Thuna, so that we, shaven monks, as they call us, may not obtain water to drink."

A second time the Blessed One said to the venerable Ananda: "Bring me, I pray thee, Ananda, some water from that well."

A second time the venerable Ananda said to the Blessed One: 'That well, Sire, has been filled up etc. [as above. Transl.].

A third time the Blessed One said to the venerable Ananda: "Bring me, I pray thee, Ananda, some water from that well."

"So be it, Sire" said the venerable Ananda in assent to the Blessed One and he went to the well, taking with him a bowl.

And when he arrived at the well he found that all the grass and straw had been removed and that it was full p. 109 to the brim, even to overflowing, of pure, clear, translucent water.

And the thought occurred to the venerable Ananda: "How astonishing, how marvellous is the mighty power and great strength of the Perfect One, that on my arrival all the grass and straw were removed and the well was full to the brim, even to overflowing, of clear, pure, translucent water."

And taking some water in the bowl, he went to where the Blessed One was and said to the Blessed One: "How astonishing, how marvellous, is the mighty power and great strength of the Perfect One, by which the grass and straw was removed etc. [as above. Transl.].

Drink, Exalted One, of the water: Drink, Happy One, of the water."

And the Blessed One, in this connection, on that occasion, breathed forth this solemn utterance:--

"When there is water everywhere, what need of a well? When desire has been uprooted, In search of what should a man wander?"

10. Thus have I heard. On a certain occasion the Blessed One dwelt in the Ghosita garden, at Kosambi.

Now at that time the palace set apart for the royal ladies in the garden of King Udena was burnt down and 500 women perished with Sâmâvati at their head.

And a large number of Bhikkhus robing themselves in the forenoon and taking their alms-bowls and tunics entered Kosambi for alms. And when they had gone their rounds and finished their meal, they went to where the Blessed One was and drawing near they saluted the Blessed One p. 110 and sat down apart, and while thus sitting they said to the Blessed One: "Just now, Sire, the palace set apart for the royal ladies in the garden of King Udena was burnt down and 500 women perished with Sâmâvati at their head. Whither have these female votaries departed, and what will be their future condition?"

"There are, O Bhikkhus, some lay disciples who have entered the stream, some who return (to this world) once again, some who never return. All these lay disciples who perished are not without reward."

And the Blessed One, in this connection, on that occasion, breathed forth this solemn utterance:--

"This world of delusions appears good; The fool surrounded by darkness, bound by 'Upadhi',1 Regards it as eternal. To him who sees aright, it is all nothing."

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### Footnotes

p. 106

1 Lata--a creeper--applied metaphorically to 'Desire'.

2 Papanca = any evil conditions which hinder a man in his spiritual progress. (Childers).

p. 110

1 Substratum of being, or basis of individual existence.