འདལ་བ་གཞ 4.8

4.8

saying, “Noble ones! Come, I will give you sustenance.”

The monks asked, “How far is the town of Hastibāla?”

“It is about three furlongs.”

Wondering whether they could make the round trip if they were to go that very day, they thought about the Blessed One’s statement, “A monk who has pledged to settle for the rains should not go beyond the boundary. If he does, he should not remain there,” and did not go. Udayana then offered much cloth and much food to those monks who had pledged to settle for the rains in the vicinity of the town of Hastibāla.

After the three months of the rains had passed, they, with their robes mended and in order,⁴² took up their begging bowls and robes and set off on the journey to Śrāvastī, until, after traveling by stages, they arrived there.

When the resident monks saw them approaching off in the distance, they called out, “Welcome, venerable ones, welcome!” Once the visiting monks had been allowed to rest, the others asked, “Venerable ones, where have you come from just now? Where did you pledge to settle for the rains?”

“Venerable ones, we have just now come here from the town of Hastibāla, where we pledged to settle for the rains.”

“Venerable ones, were you at ease pledging to settle for the rains there? Were you not wearied by seeking alms?”

“Venerable ones, it was so; we were at ease pledging to settle for the rains and were not wearied by seeking alms in the town of Hastibāla.”

“Venerable ones, how is it that you were at ease pledging to settle for the rains and were not wearied by seeking alms in the town of Hastibāla?”

“Venerable ones,