ལས་བརྒྱ་ཐམ་པ་པ 32.23

32.23

and took a seat at one side. Once King Bimbisāra had taken a seat at one side, the Blessed One instructed, encouraged, inspired, and delighted him with a discourse on the Dharma. Once he had instructed, encouraged, inspired, and delighted him with many discourses on the Dharma, the Blessed One then sat without speaking.

Knowing that the Blessed One had completed his discourse, King Bimbisāra rose from his seat, drew down the right shoulder of his upper garment, bowed toward the Blessed One with palms pressed together, and said to the Blessed One, “Lord, the Blessed One has tamed vicious nāgas like Nanda, Upananda, and others besides. You have tamed the vicious yakṣa lord Aṭavika, and others besides. Now at the border between the countries of Magadha and Kośala there lives a great horde of piśācas, and by staying there they are doing harm to many. Blessed One, out of compassion for the horde of piśācas, please tame them.” The Blessed One assented to King Bimbisāra by his silence. Understanding that by his silence the Blessed One had given his assent, King Bimbisāra touched his head to the Blessed One’s feet and took leave of him.

The Blessed One saw that the time had come to tame the piśācas so he disappeared from Rājagṛha and traveled to the sāl forest, close to where the piśācas were. The piśācas saw the Blessed Buddha from a distance, and upon seeing him they took on a hideous appearance and charged at the Blessed One with great force.