Mahavogga 5.13

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Translated from the Pâli by T. W. Rhys Davids and Hermann Oldenberg

1. Now at that time the venerable Mahâ Kakkayana was staying in Avanti on the hill called the Precipice, near Kuraraghara. And at that time the lay-disciple named Sona Kutikanna was the personal attendant upon the venerable Mahâ Kakkayana.

And the disciple Sona Kutikanna went to the place where the venerable Mahâ Kakkayana was, and saluted him, and took his seat beside him. And when he was thus seated, he said to the venerable Mahâ Kakkayana:

' As I understand the doctrine laid down by the venerable Mahâ Kakkayana, it is difficult for the man who dwells at home to live the higher life in all its fulness, in all its purity, in all its bright perfection. I wish therefore to cut off my hair and beard, to clothe myself in the orange-coloured robes, and to go forth from the household life into the houseless state. May the venerable Mahâ Kakkayana receive me into the Order of those who have renounced the world!'

2. ' Hard is it, Sona, your life long to live the higher life using only one bed, and with but one meal a day. Do you, therefore, Sona, remain in the state of a householder, and practise only for a time the higher life, the precepts of the Buddhas, using only one bed, and with but one meal a day.' Then the desire for renunciation which had arisen in the disciple Sona Kutikanna abated in him.

A second time the disciple Sona Kutikanna [made the same request, and received the same reply with the same result].

And a third time Sona Kutikanna made the same request. Then the venerable Mahâ Kakkayana conferred the pabbagga (ordination) on the disciple Sona Kutikanna.

Now at that time in the Southern country and in Avanti there were but few Bhikkhus. And it was only after the lapse of three years that the venerable Mahâ Kakkayana was able, with difficulty, and with trouble, to get together a meeting of the Order in which ten Bhikkhus were present. And then he admitted the venerable Sona into the higher rank of the Order.

3. Now when the venerable Sona had passed the rainy season there sprang up in his mind, when he was meditating alone, this thought:

' I have heard indeed that the Blessed One is such and such a one. But I have not as yet seen him face to face. I should like to go and visit the Blessed One, the Arahat Buddha, if my superior would allow me.'

And in the evening the venerable Sowa, leaving his solitude, went to the place where the venerable Mahâ Kakk'iyana was, and saluted him, and took his seat beside him. And when he was thus seated, he said to the venerable Mahâ Kakkayana:

4. ' When I was meditating alone, venerable Sir, the following thought occurred to my mind," I have heard (&c, as above)." Now I would go and visit the Blessed One, the Arahat Buddha, if you, as my superior, allow it.'

' That is good, that is good, Sona! Go then, Sona, to visit the Blessed One, the Arahat Buddha. You shall see, Sowa, how the Blessed One arouses faith, is worthy of faith, calm in his senses, calm in his mind, gifted with the highest self-control and quietude, an elephant among men, subdued, guarded, with his senses in subjection to himself. Do you therefore, Sona, bow down in my name at the feet of the Blessed One, and say, " Lord! my superior, the venerable Maha Kakkayana, bows down in salutation at the feet of the Blessed One!" and add, " In the Southern country and in Avanti there are, Lord, but few Bhikkhus. And it was only after the lapse of three years that with difficulty and with trouble an assembly of the Order was got together, in which ten members were present, and I could be received into the higher rank of the Order. May the Blessed One be pleased, therefore, to allow the higher ordination in the Southern country and in Avanti before a meeting of a lesser number. In the Southern country and in Avanti, Lord, the soil is black on the surface ', rough, and trampled by the feet of cattle. May the Blessed One be pleased, therefore, to allow the use, in the Southern country and in Avanti, of shoes with thick linings. In the Southern country and in Avanti, Lord, men attach great importance to bathing, and are pure by use of water. May the Blessed One be pleased to allow, in the Southern country and in Avanti, the constant use of the bath. In the Southern country and in Avanti, Lord, skins, such as sheep-skins, goat-skins, and deer-skins, are used as coverlets. Just as in the Middle country the eragu, moragu, magghâru, and gantu grasses are used for coverlets, so are sheep-skins, goat-skins, and deer-skins in the Southern country and in Avanti. May the Blessed One be pleased to allow the use of such coverlets there. At present, Lord, people are in the habit of giving a set of robes to Bhikkhus, who have left the district, saying, ' We give this set of robes to (a Bhikkhu) of such and such a name.' When they return, the Bhikkhus tell them, ' A set of robes has been given to you by a person of such and such a name.' But they, fearing to offend, do not accept it, saying, ' Let us not be guilty of a Nissaggiya.' May the Blessed One be pleased to' make a detailed statement in the matter of robes.'" ' Even so, Lord,' said the venerable Sona in assent to the venerable Mahâ Kakkayana, and, rising from his seat, he departed thence, keeping his right side towards him. And taking up his bed, he went on with his robe on, and his bowl in his hand to Sâvatthi.

8. And wandering from place to place he arrived at the place where the Blessed One was, at Sâvatthi in the Getavana, Anâtha-pindika's park. And when he had come there he saluted the Blessed One, and took his seat beside him.

Then the Blessed One said to the venerable Ananda: ' Make ready a sleeping-place, Ananda, for this Bhikkhu who has just arrived.' And the venerable Ananda thought:

' In as much as the Blessed One commands me to make ready a sleeping-place for the Bhikkhu who has just arrived, the Blessed One evidently desires to dwell in the same Vihara with that Bhikkhu, he desires to dwell in the same Vihara with the venerable Sowa.' And he made ready a sleeping-place for the venerable Sona at the place where the Blessed One was staying.

9. Then the Blessed One, after spending the greater part of the night in the open air, entered the Vihara. And also the venerable Sona, having spent the greater part of the night in the open air, entered the Vihara. And the Blessed One rose up, early in the morning, towards dawn, and requested the venerable Sona, saying,

' May the Dhamma so become clear to you that you may speak. ' Even so, Lord!' said the venerable Sona in assent to the Blessed One; and he intoned all the verses in the Book of the Eights (Atthaka-vaggikâni).

And the Blessed One, at the conclusion of the venerable Sona's recitation, expressed his pleasure, saying,

' Excellent, most excellent, O Bhikkhu ! Well have the Eights been grasped by thee, well thought over, well learnt by heart: and with a fine voice art thou gifted, distinct, pleasant, able to make things understood. How many years is it since thou hast been ordained ?'

' One year, my Lord !'

10. ' But why have you postponed it so long ?'

' Tis long, Lord, since I saw into the danger of the passions, but life in a household is crowded with business and with cares.'

And the Blessed One, when he heard that matter, gave utterance at that time to the expression of emotion :

' When he has seen the danger of the world, when he has understood the Truth, when he has become free from Upadhi, ' The pilgrim finds in sin no pleasure, his delight is in the word, the pure.'

11. Then thought the venerable Sona: 'The Blessed One is pleased with me. This then is the time which my superior spoke of.' And rising from his seat, and arranging his robe on one shoulder, he bowed down with his head at the feet of the Blessed One, and said :

' Lord ! my superior Mahâ Kakkyana bows down in salutation at the feet of the Blessed One. In the Southern country and in Avanti there are (&c, as in §§ 4-7, down to the end of the message).'

Then the Blessed One on that occasion and in that connection, having delivered a religious discourse, addressed the Bhikkhus and said:

' The Southern country and Avanti has but few Bhikkhus. I allow the upasampada (ordination) in border countries to be held in a meeting of only four Bhikkhus, beside the chairman, who must be a Vinaya-dhara.'

12. 'In this passage the following are the border countries referred to1. To the East is the town Kagangala, and beyond it Mahâsâlâ. Beyond that is border country; this side of it is the Middle country. To the South-east is the river Salalavati. Beyond that is border country; this side of it is the Middle country. To the South is the town Setakannika. Beyond that is border country; this side of it is the Middle country. To the West is the Brahman district of Thuna. Beyond that is border country; this side of it is the Middle country. To the North is the mountain range called Usiradhaga. Beyond that is border country; this side of it is the Middle country. In such border countries, I allow, O Bhikkhus, the upasampada (ordination) to be held in a meeting of only four Bhikkhus, beside the chairman, who must be a Vinayadhara.

13. 'In the Southern country and in Avanti, O Bhikkhus, the soil is black on the surface and rough, and trampled by the feet of cattle. I allow the use, in all the border countries, O Bhikkhus, of shoes with thick linings.

' In the Southern country and in Avanti, O Bhikkhus, men attach great importance to bathing, and are pure by use of water. I allow the constant use of the bath, O Bhikkhus, in all the border countries.

' In the Southern country and in Avanti, O Bhikkhus, skins, such as sheep-skins, goat-skins, and deer-skins, are used as coverlets. Just as in the Middle country, Bhikkhus, the eragu, moragu, magghâru, and gantu grasses are used for coverlets, so in the Southern country and in Avanti are used skins, such as sheep-skins, goat-skins, and deer-skins. I allow, O Bhikkhus, the use of skins, such as sheepskins, goat-skins, and deer-skins, as coverlets, in all the border countries.

' There also, O Bhikkhus, people are in the habit of giving a set of robes to Bhikkhus who have left the district, saying, " We give this set of robes to (a Bhikkhu) with such and such a name." I allow you, O Bhikkhus, to accept such robes. The set of robes does not become subject to the ten-days' rule, before it reaches the hand (of the person for whom it was intended).'