Dighanikaya 14: 1. Mahāpadānasuttavaṇṇanā

Homage to that Blessed One, the arahant, the fully awakened Buddha.

Talk Connected with Past Lives

"Thus have I heard... in the Kareri cottage": this is the Mahāpadāna Sutta. In that passage, this is the commentary on the words that are new: In "in the Kareri cottage," "karerī" is the name of the varuṇa tree; a karerī bower stood at the door of that cottage, therefore it is called "Kareri cottage," just as it is called "Kosamba cottage" because of standing at the door of a kosamba tree. Inside the Jeta Grove, it is said, there were four great buildings: the Kareri Cottage, the Kosamba Cottage, the Perfumed Cottage, and the Salaḷa Cottage, each constructed at an expense of one hundred thousand. Among them, the Salaḷa Cottage was built by King Pasenadi; the rest were built by Anāthapiṇḍika. Thus the Blessed One was dwelling in the Kareri cottage, resembling a celestial mansion, which had been built on pillars by the householder Anāthapiṇḍika. "After the meal": for those who eat in a single session and refuse subsequent food, having eaten early in the morning, even within midday it is "after the meal." But here "after the meal" is intended as after the ordinary meal. "Returned from the almsround": returned from collecting almsfood; the meaning is: having finished their meal-duties and risen up.

"In the Kareri pavilion": in the sitting hall made not far from that very karerī bower. That karerī bower, it is said, was between the Perfumed Cottage and the hall; therefore the Perfumed Cottage, the Kareri cottage, and the hall are all called "the Kareri pavilion." "Connected with past lives": having linked it with past lives, which are reckoned as the continuity of aggregates lived in previously, distinguished as "one birth, two births," and so on, it proceeded. "Dhamma [talk]": connected with the Dhamma.

"There arose": "Oh, how wonderful is the knowledge of past lives of the One with Ten Powers! Who recollects past lives, and who does not?" Non-Buddhist sectarians recollect, disciples, paccekabuddhas, and Buddhas recollect. Which non-Buddhist sectarians recollect? Those who have attained the foremost rank among teachers of action, they too recollect only forty aeons, not beyond that. Disciples recollect one hundred thousand aeons. The two chief disciples, an incalculable period and one hundred thousand aeons. Paccekabuddhas, two incalculable periods and one hundred thousand aeons. But for Buddhas there is no such limitation: as much as they desire, so much do they recollect.

Sectarians recollect by following the sequence of aggregates; having abandoned the sequence, they cannot. Even when recollecting by sequence, on reaching the realm of non-percipient beings, they do not see the continuity of aggregates; they become like maimed people fallen into a net, or like cripples fallen into a pit. Standing there, they adopt the view: ‘It is only this much; there is nothing beyond this.’ Thus, the sectarians’ recollection of past lives is like the walking of blind people with the tip of a cane. For just as blind people walk only when there is someone holding the tip of a cane, and sit right there when there is not, even so sectarians are able to recollect only by following the sequence of aggregates; having released the sequence, they cannot.

Disciples also recollect only by following the sequence of aggregates, and on reaching the realm of non-percipient beings, they do not see the continuity of aggregates. Even though this is so, there is no time when there is an absence of aggregates for beings wandering in the cycle of rebirth. But in the realm of non-percipient beings, [beings] persist for five hundred aeons; so having passed beyond that amount of time, standing on the method provided by the Buddhas, they recollect further, just like the Venerable Sobhita. But the two chief disciples and paccekabuddhas recollect having observed death and rebirth-linking. For Buddhas, there is no task of death and rebirth-linking: whatever place they wish to see, that very place they see.

And sectarians, when recollecting past lives, recollect only what was seen, done, and heard by themselves. Likewise disciples and paccekabuddhas. But Buddhas recollect everything whatsoever that was seen, done, and heard by themselves or by others.

The knowledge of past lives of the sectarians is like the light of a firefly; that of the disciples is like the light of an oil lamp; that of the chief disciples is like the light of the morning star; that of the paccekabuddhas is like the light of the moon; that of the Buddhas is like the light of the autumnal sun's disk. For them, there is no limitation such as ‘so many hundreds of births, thousands of births, hundreds of thousands of births,’ or ‘so many hundreds of aeons, thousands of aeons, hundreds of thousands of aeons’; for one recollecting anything whatever, there is neither stumbling nor impediment; it is bound only to adverting, bound only to the arising of the thought of wishing and directing attention. It proceeds without obstruction, like an arrow shot with force through a weak leaf-wrapper, or like Indra's thunderbolt released upon the peak of Mount Sineru. ‘Oh, how great is the Blessed One’s knowledge of past lives!’—thus, with reference to the Blessed One himself, the conversation arose, was produced, proceeded: this is the meaning. To show all that in brief, only this much was said in the Pāli text: ‘Such is past lives, such is past lives.’ Here, ‘itipi’ means: in this way too.

In ‘The Blessed One heard… pe… then the Blessed One arrived,’ whatever needs to be said was already said in the commentary on the Brahmajālasutta. For this alone is the difference: there he heard by the knowledge of omniscience, here by the divine ear. And there talk of praise and dispraise was broken off, here talk of past lives. Therefore the Blessed One, thinking: ‘These monks praise my virtue with reference to the knowledge of past lives, but they do not know the perfection of my knowledge of past lives; come now, having spoken to them of its perfection, I shall show it,’ arrived, sat down on the excellent Buddha-seat that was set up according to custom for the Buddhas precisely for the purpose of expounding the Dhamma and made ready having been dusted off by the monks at that moment, and at the end of the question ‘For what [talk] are you seated together now, monks?’ and the answer beginning ‘Here, bhante,’ wishing to speak Dhamma talk connected with past lives, said the words beginning: ‘Would you wish [to hear]?’ Here, ‘iccheyyātha no’ means: would you wish? Then the monks, their minds gladdened, beseeching him, said the words beginning: ‘[It is the time] for this, Blessed One.’ Here, ‘etassā’ means: for this delivery of Dhamma talk.

Then the Blessed One, having accepted their request, wishing to speak, urged them to attend carefully with ears attuned, saying: ‘Then listen, monks,’ and wishing to explain the recollection of the broken cycle that is not shared by others, spoke the words beginning: ‘Monks, from now [going back].’ Here, ‘yaṃ vipassī’ means: in which aeon Vipassī [lived]. For this word ‘yaṃ’ is seen in the nominative case in passages such as: ‘Bhante, what I heard and received directly in the presence of the Tāvatiṃsa devas, that I report to the Blessed One.’ In the accusative case in passages such as: ‘What we asked you about, that you did not explain to us; we ask you something else, please tell us that.’ In the instrumental case in passages such as: ‘Monks, it is impossible, it cannot happen, that in a single world system…’ But here it should be regarded as having a locative sense. Therefore it is said: ‘in which aeon.’ ‘Udapādi’ means: he arose, causing the ten-thousandfold world system to resound.

In ‘in an auspicious aeon,’ the Blessed One said this while praising this aeon as a beautiful aeon, an excellent aeon, because it is adorned with the arising of five Buddhas. For ever since our Blessed One made his aspiration, within this interval there is no single aeon in which five Buddhas have arisen. But prior to our Blessed One’s aspiration, four Buddhas—Taṇhaṅkara, Medhaṅkara, Saraṇaṅkara, and Dīpaṅkara—arose in a single aeon. Below them, for one incalculable period, [the world] was completely devoid of Buddhas.

At the conclusion of an incalculable aeon, however, a single Buddha named Koṇḍañña arose in one aeon. After that, too, an incalculable period was entirely devoid of Buddhas. At the conclusion of an incalculable aeon, four Buddhas arose in one aeon: Maṅgala, Sumana, Revata, and Sobhita. After that, too, an incalculable period was entirely devoid of Buddhas. At the conclusion of an incalculable aeon, however, above an incalculable aeon plus one hundred thousand aeons from now, three Buddhas arose in one aeon: Anomadassī, Paduma, and Nārada. After that, too, an incalculable period was entirely devoid of Buddhas. At the conclusion of an incalculable aeon, however, one hundred thousand aeons before this, the Blessed One Padumuttara arose alone in one aeon. Later than that, thirty thousand aeons before this, two Buddhas arose in one aeon: Sumedha and Sujāta. Later than that, eighteen thousand aeons before this, three Buddhas arose in one aeon: Piyadassī, Atthadassī, and Dhammadassī. Then ninety-four aeons before this, a single Buddha named Siddhattha arose in one aeon. Ninety-two aeons before this, two Buddhas arose in one aeon: Tissa and Phussa. Ninety-one aeons before this, the Blessed One Vipassī arose. Thirty-one aeons before this, two Buddhas arose: Sikhī and Vessabhū. In this auspicious aeon, four Buddhas have arisen: Kakusandha, Koṇāgamana, Kassapa, and our fully awakened Buddha Gotama; Metteyya will arise. Thus, in praising this aeon, the Blessed One spoke in this way: this aeon is an auspicious aeon, a substantial aeon, because it is adorned with the arising of five Buddhas.

Is this known only to Buddhas: ‘In this aeon, this many Buddhas have arisen or will arise,’ or is it known to others as well? It is known to others as well. To whom? To the Brahmas of the Pure Abodes. For at the time of the re-formation of an aeon, when the inhabited world stands as one vast space for an incalculable period, rain begins to fall for the re-formation of the world. At first, it is like a fall of frost in the middle of winter. Then, becoming streams of water the size of a sesame seed, the size of broken rice, the size of a grain of rice, the size of a mung bean, a kidney bean, a jujube fruit, a myrobalan, a cucumber, a pumpkin, and a gourd, they gradually become the measure of an usabha, two usabhas, half a gāvuta, a gāvuta, two gāvutas, half a yojana, a yojana, two yojanas … and so on … the measure of a hundred yojanas, a thousand yojanas, a hundred thousand yojanas, and stand filling the interior of a hundred thousand times ten million world spheres up to the Brahma-world that was not destroyed. Then that water gradually subsides. As the water subsides, the deva worlds are established in the places of the ordinary deva worlds. The manner of their establishment has indeed been stated in the Path of Purification in the discussion of past lives.

When, however, the water reaches the place where the human world is to be established, that water is held in place by the power of the wind, like [water] when the mouth of a water-strainer is closed; and on top of the water, the earth is established like a lotus leaf. When the world is being destroyed, the terrace of the Great Bodhi tree is destroyed last; when it is being re-formed, it is established first. Appearing there as a prior omen, a single lotus clump arises; if a Buddha will be born in that aeon, a flower appears on it; if not, it does not appear. And when it appears, if one Buddha will be born, one appears; if two, three, four, or five Buddhas will be born, five appear. And they are fastened to a single stalk at the pericarp. The Brahmas of the Pure Abodes come to the site of the terrace of the Great Bodhi tree, thinking, ‘Come, good sirs, let us see the prior omen!’ In an aeon where no Buddha will be born, there is no flower. Then, seeing the flowerless clump, they become disheartened, thinking, ‘Alas, good sirs, the world will be in darkness! Beings who die will fill the states of deprivation; the six deva worlds and nine Brahma-worlds will be empty!’ But when it has flowered, seeing the flower, they utter an inspired utterance with rejoiced minds and go to their respective Brahma-worlds, thinking: ‘When the omniscient Bodhisattas descend into the mother’s womb, go forth, attain full awakening, set in motion the wheel of the Dhamma, perform the Twin Miracle, descend from the gods, surrender the life-formation, and attain final passing, we shall see miracles such as the shaking of the ten-thousandfold world sphere!’ and ‘The four states of deprivation will decline, and the six deva worlds and nine Brahma-worlds will be filled!’ In this auspicious aeon, five lotuses arose. By the power of those omens, four Buddhas have arisen, and the fifth will arise. Having seen those lotuses, the Brahmas of the Pure Abodes also knew this matter. Therefore it is said: ‘It is known to others as well.’

Commentary on the Determination of the Lifespan

Thus the Blessed One, having shown past lives by way of the determination of the aeon in the manner beginning with ‘ninety-one aeons ago, monks,’ now spoke the passage beginning with ‘Vipassī, monks,’ in order to show them by way of the determination of birth, and so forth. In that context, regarding the determination of the lifespan: ‘limited’ and ‘short’ are both synonyms for ‘trifling’. For whatever is trifling is both limited and short.

"Or a little more" means a little above one hundred years; without reaching another hundred years, one lives twenty, thirty, forty, fifty, or sixty years. But one who lives so long is extremely rare; [such a person] must be gone to and seen here and there [with the thought], "Such-a-one, they say, lives so long." In this regard, the laywoman Visākhā lived for one hundred and twenty years, as did the brahmin Pokkharasāti, the brahmin Brahmāyu, the brahmin Sela, the brahmin Bāvari, Ānanda Thera, and Mahākassapa Thera. Anuruddha Thera, however, [lived] one hundred and fifty years; Bākula Thera, one hundred and sixty years. This one was the longest-lived of all. Even he did not live for two hundred years.

Now, all bodhisattas such as Vipassī took rebirth in the mother's womb with an unprompted consciousness accompanied by joy and associated with knowledge, preceded by loving-kindness. Through rebirth taken with that consciousness, the lifespan is incalculable; thus all Buddhas have an incalculable lifespan. Why did they not remain for an incalculable [lifespan]? Because of the deficiency of climate and food. For through climate and food, lifespan both declines and increases.

In that regard, when kings are unrighteous, then viceroys, army generals, treasurers, the entire city, and the whole realm become unrighteous indeed. Then their guardian deities, the earth-dwelling deities who are friends of those deities, the sky-dwelling deities who are friends of those deities, the warm-cloud deities who are friends of the sky-dwelling deities, the cloud-mass deities who are friends of them, the cold-cloud deities who are friends of them, the rain-cloud deities who are friends of them, the deities of the Four Great Kings who are friends of them, the Tāvatiṃsa deities who are friends of them, the Yāma deities who are friends of them, and so on. Thus, up to the peak of existence, with the exception of the noble disciples, the entire assembly of gods and Brahmās also becomes unrighteous. Because of their unrighteousness, the moon and sun course erratically, the wind does not blow properly, and blowing improperly it shakes the aerial mansions of the sky-dwelling deities. When the mansions are shaken, the minds of the deities do not incline toward sport. When the minds of the deities do not incline toward sport, the seasons, distinguished by cold and heat, do not occur at the proper time. When they do not occur, the sky does not rain properly: sometimes it rains, sometimes it does not rain; in some places it rains, in some places it does not rain. And even when raining, at the time of sowing, at the time of sprouting, at the time of jointing, at the time of blossoming, and at times such as the forming of the milk, it rains and ceases in whatever ways are not helpful to the crops. Thereby crops ripen unevenly and are devoid of excellence in scent, colour, and taste. Even with rice-grains placed in a single pot, in one part the rice remains uncooked, in another part it is overcooked, and in another part it is evenly cooked. When eaten, it also digests in three different ways in the stomach. Thereby beings become afflicted with many illnesses and short-lived. Thus, first of all, through climate and food the lifespan declines.

When, however, kings are righteous, then the viceroys also become righteous; in the same manner as before, everyone up to the Brahmā world becomes righteous. Because of their righteousness, the moon and sun course evenly, the wind blows properly, and blowing properly it does not shake the aerial mansions of the sky-dwelling deities. Because these are unshaken, the minds of the deities incline toward sport. Thus the seasons occur in due time, the sky rains properly, and, helping the crops from the time of sowing onwards, it rains in time and ceases in time. Thereby the crops ripen evenly and become fragrant, beautiful, delicious, and nutritious. The food produced from them, even when consumed, digests properly. Thereby beings are healthy and long-lived. Thus through climate and food the lifespan increases.

In that regard, the Blessed One Vipassī was born at a time when the lifespan was eighty thousand years, Sikhī at a time when the lifespan was seventy thousand years—this has been presented as if it declined successively, but it should be understood that it did not decline in this way; it declined having repeatedly increased. How? First, in this kappa the Blessed One Kakusandha was born at a time when the lifespan was forty thousand years; dividing the measure of life into five parts, having remained for four, he attained final passing while the fifth was still existing. That lifespan, declining, reached the ten-year period; then, increasing again, having become incalculable, declining therefrom, it stood at the thirty-thousand-year period; at that time the Blessed One Koṇāgamana was born. When he had likewise attained final passing, that lifespan, having reached the ten-year period, increasing again, having become incalculable, declining, stood at the twenty-thousand-year period; at that time the Blessed One Kassapa was born. When he had likewise attained final passing, that lifespan, having reached the ten-year period, increasing again, having become incalculable, declining, reached the one-hundred-year period; then our fully awakened Buddha was born. Thus it should be understood that it declined having repeatedly declined and having repeatedly increased. There, in whatever measure of life among humans the Buddhas are born, it should be understood that their measure of life is just that same one.

The explanation of the determination of the lifespan is finished.

Explanation of the Determination of the Awakening

Now, in the definition of the Bodhi tree: 'at the foot of the trumpet-flower tree' means beneath the pāṭali tree. On that day, the trunk of that pāṭali tree shot up to a height of fifty cubits, and the branches were fifty cubits, making a hundred cubits in total height. And on that day, that pāṭali tree became entirely covered from the root up with flowers like clustered garlands, wafting divine fragrance. And not only was this tree in flower then, but all the pāṭali trees in the ten-thousand-fold world system flowered. And not only the pāṭali trees: in the ten-thousand-fold world system, trunk-lotuses bloomed on the trunks of all trees, branch-lotuses on their branches, creeper-lotuses on creepers, and sky-lotuses in the sky, while great lotuses arose even bursting through the surface of the earth. The great ocean too became covered with five-colored lotuses and blue and red water lilies. The entire ten-thousand-fold world system became crowded with festoons of banners, strewn with balls of flowers released from flower garlands tied here and there, resplendent with blossoms of diverse colors, resembling the Nandana grove, the Cittalatā grove, the Missaka grove, and the Phārusaka grove. Banners raised on the rim of the eastern world-system struck the rim of the western world-system. Banners raised on the rims of the western, southern, and northern world-systems struck the rim of the southern world-system. Thus the world systems shared one another's splendor. 'Fully awakened': penetrating all the splendor and majesty of a Buddha's qualities, he was fully awakened to the four truths.

The explanation of terms in passages such as: 'Monks, the Blessed One Sikhī, the arahant, the fully awakened Buddha, was fully awakened at the foot of the puṇḍarīka tree' should be understood in just the same way. Here, however, 'puṇḍarīka' means the white mango tree. Its measurement too was the very same. And on that day it too was thoroughly covered with flowers of divine fragrance. Nor was it covered with flowers alone: it was also covered with fruits. On one side of it hung tender fruits, on one side half-ripe fruits, on one side almost-ripe fruits, and on one side fully ripe fruits of delicious flavor, as though infused with divine essence. Just as it was with that tree, so throughout all ten-thousand-fold world systems flower-bearing trees were adorned with flowers, and fruit-bearing trees with fruits.

'Sāla' means the sāla tree. Its measurement too was the very same, and its majestic splendor of flowers should be understood in just the same way. The same method applies to the sirīsa tree. On the udumbara tree there were no flowers, but its abundance of fruits should be understood in the manner stated for the mango; so too with the banyan tree, and so too with the assattha tree. Thus for all Buddhas the seat is single, but the trees are different. Among them, whatever tree it is at whose foot the Buddhas penetrate the awakening known as the knowledge of the four paths, that tree is called the Bodhi tree. This is called the definition of the Bodhi tree.

Explanation of the Definition of the Pairs of Disciples

Now, in the definition of the pairs of disciples: 'Khaṇḍa and Tissa' means Khaṇḍa and Tissa. Between them, Khaṇḍa was a younger brother from the same father, while Tissa was the son of the royal chaplain. Khaṇḍa reached the pinnacle of the perfection of wisdom, while Tissa reached the pinnacle of the perfection of concentration. 'Foremost' means supreme by virtue of their incomparable qualities compared with all others, excepting the Blessed One Vipassī. 'An auspicious pair' means an auspicious pair simply by being the foremost. 'Abhibhū and Sambhava' means Abhibhū and Sambhava. Between them, Abhibhū reached the pinnacle of the perfection of wisdom. Having gone together with the Blessed One Sikhī from Aruṇavatī to the Brahmā world, demonstrating various miracles to the assembly of Brahmās and teaching the Dhamma, he pervaded the ten-thousand-fold world system with darkness; and for those in whom spiritual urgency had arisen wondering, 'What is this?', he pervaded it with light, resolved: 'Let all see my form and hear my voice', and made his voice heard as he recited the two verses beginning 'Rouse yourselves' (SN 1.185). Sambhava reached the pinnacle of the perfection of concentration.

'Soṇa and Uttara' means Soṇa and Uttara. Between them too, Soṇa reached the perfection of wisdom, and Uttara reached the perfection of concentration. 'Vidhura and Sañjīva' means Vidhura and Sañjīva. Between them, Vidhura reached the perfection of wisdom, and Sañjīva reached the perfection of concentration. The latter, frequently entering attainments, meditating by the power of attainment in night quarters, day quarters, huts, caves, pavilions, and the like, one day attained cessation in the forest. Then wood-gatherers and others, supposing he was dead, cremated him. Rising from the attainment at the determined time, he shook out his robes and entered the village for alms. It was starting from that very event that they came to know him as 'Sañjīva'. 'Bhiyyosa and Uttara' means Bhiyyosa and Uttara. Between them, Bhiyyosa was superior in wisdom, and Uttara was foremost in concentration. 'Tissa and Bhāradvāja' means Tissa and Bhāradvāja. Between them, Tissa reached the perfection of wisdom, and Bhāradvāja reached the perfection of concentration. 'Sāriputta and Moggallāna' means Sāriputta and Moggallāna. Between them, Sāriputta was foremost in the domain of wisdom, and Moggallāna was foremost in the domain of concentration. This is called the definition of the pairs of disciples.

Explanation of the Definition of the Assemblies of Disciples

In the definition of the assemblies of disciples: the first assembly of the Blessed One Vipassī had four factors: they were all 'come, monk' [monks], all had bowls and robes generated through psychic power, all had come without being summoned, and indeed it was on the fifteenth-day Uposatha. Then the Teacher sat down taking a fan and delivered the Uposatha recitation. The same method applies to the second and third assemblies as well, and likewise to all the assemblies of the remaining Buddhas. But because the assembly of our Blessed One took place in the period of his first awakening, whereas this discourse was spoken at a later time, therefore, not ending with 'I now have one assembly of disciples, monks', it was said: 'there was'.

There, 'twelve hundred and fifty monks' refers to the thousand former matted-hair ascetics and the two hundred and fifty attendants of the two chief disciples; thus there were twelve hundred and fifty monks. There, beginning from the initial aspiration of the two chief disciples, their story should be told and their going forth explained. Once they had gone forth, Mahāmoggallāna attained arahantship on the seventh day. On the fifteenth day, while the Vedanāpariggahasuttanta was being taught as an offering of Dhamma prepared for his nephew Dīghanakha the wanderer in the Boar's Cave on Mount Vulture Peak, the General of the Dhamma directed his knowledge along with the teaching as he grasped it and attained the knowledge of perfection of a disciple. Knowing that the elder had attained arahantship, the Blessed One rose into the air and came down right at the Bamboo Grove. The elder, wondering 'Where has the Blessed One gone?', knew that he had landed at the Bamboo Grove, and he too rose into the air and came down right at the Bamboo Grove. Then the Blessed One recited the Pātimokkha. It was with reference to that assembly that the Blessed One said, 'twelve hundred and fifty monks'. This is called the section on the assembly of disciples.

Explanation of the Section on the Attendant

In the section on the attendant, 'Ānanda' was said with reference to his being the permanent attendant. For during the Blessed One's early period after awakening, there were no permanent attendants. Sometimes Nāgasamāla took his bowl and robe and went along with him, sometimes Nāgita, sometimes Upavāna, sometimes Sunakkhatta, sometimes the novice Cunda, sometimes Sāgata, sometimes Meghiya. On one occasion there, when the Blessed One was travelling along a highway with the elder Nāgasamāla, they arrived at a fork in the road. The elder, turning off the road, said, 'Blessed One, I am going by this road.' Then the Blessed One said to him, 'Come, monk, let us go by this road.' He said, 'Here, Blessed One, take your bowl and robe; I am going by this road,' and began to set the bowl and robe down on the ground. Then the Blessed One said, 'Bring them, monk,' took the bowl and robe, and went on. As for that monk, as he went along the other road, bandits took his bowl and robe and broke his head. Thinking, 'Now only the Blessed One is my refuge, no one else,' he went to the Blessed One, his blood dripping. And when asked, 'What is this, monk?' he related the event. Then the Blessed One consoled him, saying, 'Do not worry, monk; having foreseen just this situation, we turned you back.'

On another occasion, the Blessed One went with the elder Meghiya to the village of Jantu in the Eastern Bamboo Park. There too Meghiya, having walked for alms in the village of Jantu and seen a lovely mango grove on the riverbank, said, 'Blessed One, take your bowl and robe; I will practise the recluse's duties in that mango grove,' and though restrained three times by the Blessed One, he went anyway and was beset and overwhelmed by unwholesome thoughts. Returning, he related that incident. The Blessed One told him too, 'Having foreseen just this situation, we turned you back,' and in due course went to Sāvatthī. There, seated on the noble Buddha-seat prepared in the compound of the Fragrant Cell, surrounded by the Saṅgha of monks, he addressed the monks: 'Monks, I am now old. When some monks are told, "Let us go by this road," they go by another; some discard my bowl and robe. Identify one monk to be my permanent attendant.' A sense of urgency concerning the Dhamma arose among the monks. Then the venerable Sāriputta rose from his seat, paid homage to the Blessed One, and said, 'Venerable sir, aspiring only for you, I fulfilled the perfections for an incalculable period plus a hundred thousand eons. Is not one of great wisdom like me suitable to be an attendant? I will attend on you.' The Blessed One refused him, saying, 'Enough, Sāriputta. In whichever direction you dwell, that direction is not empty to me; your instruction is like the instruction of the Buddhas. I have no need of an attendant in you.' In this same way, beginning with Mahāmoggallāna, the eighty great disciples arose. The Blessed One refused them all.