Mahavogga 6.35

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Adapted from the Translation by T. W. Rhys Davids and Hermann Oldenberg

MAHAVAGGA

SIXTH KHANDHAKA(ON MEDICAMENTS)

Chapter-35.

1. Now the Lord Buddha proceeded straight on, on his alms-pilgrimage, to Apana. And Keniya the ascetic heard the saying, 'Behold! the Samana Gotama, who was born in the Sakya clan, and who went forth from the Sakya clan (to adopt the dhamma life), has arrived at Apana, and is staying at Apana. Now regarding that venerable Gotama, such is the high reputation that has been noised abroad that he is said to be a fully-enlightened one, benevolent and worthy, abounding in wisdom and goodness, happy, with knowledge of the worlds, unsurpassed, who guides men as a driver curbs a bullock, a teacher of gods and men, a Great Buddha. He by himself thoroughly understands, and sees, as it were face to face, this universe, the world with its Devas, and with its Brahmas, and with its Maras, and all creatures, Samanas and Brahmanas, gods and men: and he then makes his knowledge known to others. The truth doth he make known, both in the spirit and in the letter:

lovely in its origin, lovely in its progress, lovely in its consummation. The higher life doth he proclaim, in all its purity and all its perfectness. Blessed is the sight of Arahats like that!' And Keniya the ascetic thought: 'What now should I have taken to the Samana Gotama(Buddha).'

2. And Keniya the ascetic thought: 'They who are the ancient Rishis of the Brahmans, the authors of the sacred verses, the utterers of the sacred verses, whose ancient form of words, so uttered chanted or composed, the Brahmans(priests) of to-day chant over again and repeat, intoning or reciting exactly as had been intoned or recited--to wit, Atthaka, Vamaka, Vamadeva, Vessamitta, Yamataggi, Angirasa, Bharadvaga, Vasettha, and Bhagu--they were abstainers from food at night, and abstainers from food at the wrong time, yet they used to receive such things as drinks. (3.) Now the Samana Gotama is also an abstainer from food at night, an abstainer from food at the wrong time. It will be worthy of him too to receive such things as drinks. And when he had had a quantity of drinkables made ready he had them carried on pingoes and went up to the place where the Lord Buddha was. And when he had come there, he greeted him; and after exchanging with him the greetings of friendship and civility, he stood by on one side. And so standing Keniya the ascetic spoke thus to the Lord Buddha:

'May the Lord Buddha accept at my hands these drinkables.'

'Very good then, Keniya; give them to the Bhikkhus.'

The Bhikkhus, fearing to offend, would not receive them.

'Receive them, O Bhikkhus, and make use of them.'

4. Then Keniya the ascetic having, with his own hand, satisfied the Bhikkhu-sangha with the Buddha at their head with many drinkables until they refused any more, took his seat, when the Lord Buddha had washed his hands, and had laid aside the bowl, on one side. And when he was so seated the Lord Buddha taught and encouraged and roused and gladdened Keniya the ascetic with dhamma discourse: and Keniya the ascetic, when he had been taught and encouraged and roused and gladdened by the Lord Buddha with dhamma discourse, spoke thus to the Lord Buddha:

'May the venerable Gotama grant to me the privilege of providing the to-morrow's meal for him, together with the company of the Bhikkhus.'

5. 'Great, O Keniya, is the company of the Bhikkhus. Two hundred and fifty are the Bhikkhus in number. And you are greatly devoted to the Brahmans.'

Yet a second time spoke Keniya the ascetic to the Lord Buddha thus:

'What though the company of the Bhikkhus, O Gotama, be great; and though two hundred and fifty be the number of the Bhikkhus. May the venerable Gotama grant to me the privilege of providing the to-morrow's meal for him, together with the company of the Bhikkhus.'

'Great, O Keniya (&c., as before).'

Yet a third time spoke Keniya the ascetic to the venerable Gotama thus:

'What though the company of the Bhikkhus (&c., as before).'

Then the Lord Buddha granted, by remaining silent, his consent. And when Keniya the ascetic perceived that the Lord Buddha had granted his consent, he arose from his seat, and departed from there.

6. Then the Lord Buddha on that occasion, and in that connection, after he had delivered a dhamma discourse, addressed the Bhikkhus, and said:

'I allow you, O Bhikkhus, eight kinds of drink-able things: mango-syrup, and jambu-syrup, and plantain-syrup, and moka-syrup, and honey, and

grape juice, and syrup made from the edible root of the water-lily, and pharusaka syrup. I allow you, O Bhikkhus, the juice of all fruits, except the juice prepared from corn. I allow you, O Bhikkhus, drinks prepared from all leaves, except drinks prepared from potherbs. I allow you, O Bhikkhus, drinks prepared from all flowers, except liquorice-juice. I allow you, O Bhikkhus, the use of the juice of the sugar cane.'

7. And Keniya the ascetic, at the end of the night, had sweet food, both hard and soft, made ready at his hermitage: and he had the time announced to the Lord Buddha, saying, 'It is time, O Gotama, and the meal is ready.'

And the Lord Buddha, having put on his under robes early in the morning, went, duly bowled and. robed, to the place where the hermitage of Keniya the ascetic was. And when he had arrived there, he sat down on the seat spread out for him, and with him the company of the Bhikkhus. Then

Keniya the ascetic, with his own hand, offered to the company of the Bhikkhus with the Buddha at their head, and satisfied them with the sweet food, both hard and soft. And when the Lord Buddha had finished his meal and had washed his hands and his bowl, he (Keniya) took his seat on one side.

8. And when he was so seated the Lord Buddha pronounced the benediction on Keniya the ascetic in these verses:

'Of the offerings the fire sacrifice is the chief, of sacred verses the chief is the Savitthi;

'Among men the king is chief; and of waters the ocean,

'Of constellations the moon is chief, and of heat-givers the sun,

But of them, the conquering ones, who long after good, the Sangha, verily, is chief.'

And when the Lord Buddha had, in these verses, pronounced the benediction on Keniya the ascetic, he rose from his seat, and departed from there.