Mahavogga 6.36

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

MAHAVAGGA

SIXTH KHANDHAKA(ON MEDICAMENTS)

Chapter-36.

1. Now when the Lord Buddha had stayed at Apana as long as he thought fit, he went on, on his pilgrimage, to Kusinara, with a great company

of Bhikkhus, with two hundred and fifty Bhikkhus. And the Mallas of Kusinara heard, saying, 'The Lord Buddha, they say, is coming to Kusinara with a great company of Bhikkhus, with two hundred and fifty Bhikkhus.' And they established a compact to the effect that whosoever went not forth to welcome the Lord Buddha, should pay a fine of five hundred (pieces).

Now at that time there was a certain Malla, by name Roja, who was a friend of the venerable Ananda's. And the Lord Buddha, continuing in due course his pilgrimage, arrived at Kusinara.

2. Then the Mallas of Kusinara went forth to welcome the Lord Buddha. And Roja the Malla, having gone forth to welcome the Lord Buddha, went on to the place where the venerable Ananda was: and when he had come there, he saluted the venerable Ananda, and stood by on one side. And to him, so standing, the venerable Ananda spoke thus:

'This is most excellent of you, friend Roja, that you have come forth to welcome the Lord Buddha!'

'It is not I, O Ananda, who am much moved by the Buddha, or the Dhamma, or the Sangha. But by the clansmen a compact was made to the effect that whosoever went not forth to welcome the Lord Buddha should pay a fine of five hundred (pieces). So that it was through fear of being fined

by my clansmen that even I went forth to welcome the Lord Buddha.'

Then the venerable Ananda was filled with sorrow, thinking, 'How can Roja the Malla speak thus?'

3. And the venerable Ananda went up to the place where the Lord Buddha was: and when he had come there, he saluted the Lord Buddha, and took his seat on one side, and so sitting the venerable Ananda spoke to the Lord Buddha thus:

'This Roja the Malla, Lord, is a very distinguished and well-known person. Great would be the efficacy of the adherence given by well-known persons like him to this doctrine and discipline. May the Lord Buddha be pleased so to act, that Roja the Malla shall become devoted to this doctrine and discipline.'

'Now that, Ananda, is not a hard thing for the Tathagata(Buddha)--so to act that Roja the Malla should become devoted to this doctrine and discipline.'

4. Then the Lord Buddha suffused Roja the Malla with the feeling of his love, and rising from his seat he entered into his dwelling-place. And Roja the Malla, overcome by the Lord Buddha by the sense of his love, just as a young calf follows the kine, so did he go on from dwelling-place to dwelling-place, and from apartment to apartment, asking the Bhikkhus:

'Where then, Sirs, is that Lord Buddha dwelling now, the Arahat Buddha? For we desire to visit that Lord Buddha, the Arahat Buddha.'

'This, friend, is his dwelling-place, the door of which is shut. Go up therefore quietly, and without crossing the threshold, enter into the verandah, and knock at the cross-bar. The Lord Buddha will open the door to you.'

5. So Roja the Malla did so, and the Lord Buddha opened the door. And Roja the Malla entered into the dwelling-place, and saluted the Lord Buddha and took his seat on one side. And to Roja the Malla sitting there the Lord Buddha preached in due course: that is to say, he talked to him of giving; of moral conduct; of heaven; of the danger of vanity, of the corruption of lusts; and of the advantages of renunciation. When the Lord Buddha saw that the mind of Roja the Malla was prepared, impressible, free from obstacles to understanding the truth, elated, and believing, then he preached that which is the principal doctrine of the Buddhas, namely, Suffering, the Cause of suffering, the Cessation of suffering, and the Path. And just as a clean cloth, free from black specks, properly takes the dye, thus did Roja the Malla, even while sitting there, obtain the pure and spotless eye of the truth (divine insight), 'Whatsoever is subject to the condition of beginning, that is subject also to the condition of cessation.' And Roja the Malla, having seen the truth, having mastered the truth, having understood the truth, having penetrated the truth, having overcome uncertainty, having dispelled all doubts, having gained full knowledge, dependent on no one else for knowledge of the doctrine of the Teacher, thus spoke to the Lord Buddha:

'May the venerable one be pleased, Lord, to

receive from me alone, and not from others, the requisites of the Order: that is to say, robes, and food, and dwelling-places, and medicine for the use of the sick.'

'Whosoever, Roja, with the knowledge of a disciple, and with the insight of a disciple, has perceived the Truth, even as you have, they also will think, "Oh! that the venerable ones would be pleased to receive from me alone, and not from others, the requisites of the order." Therefore, Roja, they shall receive them from you, indeed, but also from others.'

6. Now at that time a certain succession had been fixed, in which the inhabitants of Kusinara should each in succession provide food for the Sangha. And it occurred to Roja the Malla, who had not received a place in the succession, thus: What if I were to inspect the Sangha's storehouse, and provide whatever I found wanting in the storehouse?' And on inspecting the storehouse, he found there no potherbs, and no meal.

Then Roja the Malla went up to the place where the venerable Ananda was, and when he had come there, he spoke to the venerable Ananda thus:

'It occurred to me (&ç., as before, down to:) and no meal. If, Ananda, I were to provide potherbs and meal, would the Lord Buddha accept them at my hands?'

7. The venerable Ananda told this thing to the Lord Buddha.

'Very good, then, Ananda. Let him provide them.'

'Very good, then, Roja. Provide them accordingly.'

Then Roja the Malla at the end of the night, after he had had a quantity of potherbs and meal made ready, offered them to the Lord Buddha, saying, 'May the Lord Buddha accept at my hands the potherbs and the meal.'

'Very good, then, Roja. Present them to the Bhikkhus.'

The Bhikkhus, fearing to offend, did not accept them.

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

8. Then Roja the Malla, with his own hand, offered to the company of the Bhikkhus with the Buddha at their head, and satisfied them with the potherbs and the meal. And when the Lord Buddha had finished his meal, and had cleansed his hands and the bowl, he (Roja) took his seat on one side. And when he was so seated the Lord Buddha taught, and encouraged, and conversed, and gladdened Roja the Malla with dhamma discourse. And Roja the Malla, when he had been taught, &c., rose from his seat and departed from there.

And the Lord Buddha, on that occasion, and in that connection, when he had delivered a dhamma discourse, addressed the Bhikkhus, and said:

'I allow you, O Bhikkhus, all kinds of potherbs, and all kinds of meal.'