Dighanikaya 26.80_3

26.80_3

Atha rājakulānaṃ bhattānumodanaṃ akatvāva pattaṃ gahetvā nagarato nikkhami. Manussā cintayiṃsu – ‘‘satthā amhākaṃ anumodanampi akatvā gacchati, addhā bhattaggaṃ amanāpaṃ ahosi, buddhānaṃ nāma na sakkā cittaṃ gahetuṃ, buddhehi saddhiṃ vissāsakaraṇaṃ nāma samussitaphaṇaṃ āsīvisaṃ gīvāya gahaṇasadisaṃ hoti; etha bho, tathāgataṃ khamāpessāmā’’ti. Sakalanagaravāsino bhagavatā saheva nikkhantā. Bhagavā gacchantova magadhakkhette ṭhitaṃ sākhāviṭapasampannaṃ sandacchāyaṃ karīsamattabhūmipatthaṭaṃ ekaṃ mātularukkhaṃ disvā imasmiṃ rukkhamūle nisīditvā dhamme desiyamāne ‘‘mahājanassa ṭhānanisajjanokāso bhavissatī’’ti. Nivattitvā maggā okkamma rukkhamūlaṃ upasaṅkamitvā dhammabhaṇḍāgārikaṃ ānandattheraṃ olokesi. Thero olokitasaññāya eva ‘‘satthā nisīditukāmo’’ti ñatvā sugatamahācīvaraṃ paññapetvā adāsi. Nisīdi bhagavā paññatte āsane. Athassa purato manussā nisīdiṃsu. Ubhosu passesu pacchato ca bhikkhusaṅgho, ākāse devatā aṭṭhaṃsu, evaṃ mahāparisamajjhagato tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi.

Then, without giving thanks for the meal to the royal families, he took his bowl and left the town. The people thought: "The Teacher is leaving without even giving thanks for our [meal]; surely the meal-hall was displeasing. Indeed, one cannot capture the mind of Buddhas; making friends with Buddhas is like grabbing a venomous snake with a raised hood by the neck. Come, sirs, let us ask the Tathāgata for forgiveness." The residents of the entire town left right along with the Blessed One. As the Blessed One was walking, he saw a mātula tree standing in a Magadhan field, well-endowed with branches and twigs, with dense shade, spreading over an area of about a karīsa, [and thought:] "If I sit at the foot of this tree and the Dhamma is taught, there will be room for the great multitude to stand and sit." Turning back, stepping off the path, and approaching the foot of the tree, he looked at Ānanda Thera, the Treasurer of the Dhamma. Just by the sign of the look, the Thera, knowing "The Teacher wishes to sit," arranged and offered the Well-Farer's great robe. The Blessed One sat down on the prepared seat. Then the people sat down before him. The Saṅgha of monks sat on both sides and behind, and deities stood in the sky; thus, surrounded by the great assembly, there the Blessed One addressed the monks.