མ་ག་དྷ་བཟང་མའ་རྟགས་པ་བརྗད་པ 4

4

Therefore, distribute the tally sticks to the monks.”

Right away, the venerable Ānanda distributed the tally sticks, starting with the most senior monk. He said, “Tomorrow we will go to the city of Puṇḍravardhana. As that city is completely held by non-Buddhists, those among you who have attained miraculous power must take these tally sticks.” Then the process of taking the tally sticks began, starting with the most senior monk.

Among them was the elder known as Pūrṇa.³¹ Although he had not attained miraculous power, he reached out his hand to take a tally stick. The venerable Ānanda said to him, “Elder, we are not going to the home of Anāthapiṇḍada, but we must travel to a place 163 yojanas from here known as Puṇḍravardhana.”

The elder thought, “I have abandoned the defilements to which I had been habituated since beginningless time, so what could be difficult about such miraculous power, which is common even to non-Buddhists? I will not produce it.” Due to that thought, however, at that very moment the miraculous power was produced. As the second tally stick had not yet been distributed, the elder reached out his hand like an elephant’s trunk and took the tally stick.

Meanwhile, Venerable Ānanda, sitting at the head of the elders, said, “Those who have attained miraculous power must go to the city of Puṇḍravardhana.”

Then on the second day, at daybreak, the monks prepared by perfecting their displays of miraculous power. The Four Great Kings also set out in the direction of Śrāvastī. As they did so, the one known as Ājñātakauṇḍinya, mounted on a horse chariot, displayed a flash of lightning and brought down a gentle rain. Thus demonstrating his miraculous power, he made his entrance.

Sumāgadhā’s master³² saw this and asked, “Sumāgadhā, is this your teacher?”

She replied,