Mahavogga 1.24

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Translated from the Pâli by T. W. Rhys Davids and Hermann Oldenberg (1881)

1. Then the paribbâgaka Moggallâna said to the paribbâgaka Sâriputta: 'Let us go, friend, and join the Blessed One; that He, the Blessed One, may be our teacher.'

(Sâriputta replied): 'It is on our account, friend; that these two hundred and fifty paribbâgakas live here (as followers of Sañgaya), and it is we whom they regard; let us first inform them also of our intention; then they may do what they think fit.'

Then Sâriputta and Moggallâna went to the place where those paribbâgakas were; having approached them, they said to the paribbâgakas: 'Friends, we are going to join the Blessed One; that He, the Blessed One, may be our teacher.'

(The paribbâgakas replied): 'It is on your account, Sirs, that we live here, and it is you whom we regard; if you, Sirs, are about to place yourselves under the spiritual direction of the great Samana, we all will place ourselves also under the spiritual direction of the great Samana.'

2. Then Sâriputta and Moggallâna went to the place where the paribbâgaka Sañgaya was; having approached him, they said to the paribbâgaka Sañgaya: 'Friend, we are going to join the Blessed One; that He, the Blessed One, may be our teacher.'

(Sañgaya replied): 'Nay, friends, do not go; let us all three share in the leadership of this body (of disciples).'

And a second time Sâriputta and Moggallâna said, &c. And a third time Sâriputta and Moggallâna said, &c. (And a third time he replied): 'Nay, friends, do not go; let us all three share in the leadership of this body (of disciples).'

3. But Sâriputta and Moggallâna took with them those two hundred and fifty paribbâgakas and went to the Veluvana. But the paribbâgaka Sañgaya began, on the spot, to vomit hot blood from his mouth.

And the Blessed One saw them, Sâriputta and Moggallâna, coming from afar; on seeing them he thus addressed the Bhikkhus: 'There, O Bhikkhus, two companions arrive, Kolita and U patissa; these will be a pair of (true) pupils, a most distinguished, auspicious pair.

When (Sâriputta and Moggallâna), who had reached emancipation in the perfect destruction of the substrata (of existence), which is a profound subject accessible only to knowledge, came to the Veluvana, the Teacher, who saw them, foretold about them: 'These two companions who are now coming--Kolita and Upatissa--these will be a pair of (true) pupils, a most distinguished, auspicious pair.'

4. Then Sâriputta and Moggallâna went to the place where the Blessed One was; having approached him, they prostrated thernselves, inclining their heads to the feet of the Blessed One, and said to the Blessed One: 'Lord, let us receive the pabbaggâ and upasampadâ ordinations from the Blessed One.'

'Come, O Bhikkhus,' said the Blessed One, 'well taught is the doctrine; lead a holy life for the sake of the complete extinction of suffering.' Thus these venerable persons received the upasampadâ ordination.

5. At that time many distinguished young Magadha noblemen led a religious life under the direction of the Blessed One. The people were annoyed, murmured, and became angry (saying), 'The Samana Gotama causes fathers to beget no sons; the Samana Gotama causes wives to become widows; the Samana Gotama causes families to become extinct. Now he has ordained one thousand Gatilas, and he has ordained these two hundred and fifty paribbâgakas who were followers of Sañgaya; and these many distingtiished young Magadha noblemen are now leading a religious life under the direction of the Samana Gotama.' And moreover, when they saw the Bhikkhus, they reviled them in the following stanza: 'The great Samana has come to Giribbaga (i.e. Râgagaha) of the Magadha people, leading with hi in all the follawers of Sañgaya; who will be the next to be led by him?'

6. Some Bhikkhus heard those people that were annoyed, murmured, and had hecome angry; these Bhikkhus told this thing to the Blessed One. (He replied): 'This noise, O Bhikkhus, will not last long; it will last only seven days; after seven days it will he over. And if they revile you, O Bhikkhus, in this stanza: "The great Samana has come, &c.," you should reply to the revilers in the following stanza: "It is by means of the true doctrine that the great heroes, the Tathâgatas, lead men. Who will murmur at the wise, who lead men by the power of the Truth?"'

7. At that time the people, when seeing the Bhikkhus, reviled them in the following stanza: 'The great Samana has come, &c.' Then the Bhikkhus replied to the revilers in the following stanza: 'It is by means of the true doctrine, &c.'

Then the people understood: 'It is by truth, and not by wrong, that the Sakyaputtiya Samanas lead men;' and thus that noise lasted only seven days, and after seven days it was over.

Here ends the narration of the ordination of Sâriputta and Moggallâna.