Verses on Dhamma 10.11.p13

10.11.p13

Theropi bhattaṃ āhari. Atha naṃ heṭṭhā vuttanayeneva cattāro pañhe pucchi. Pañhavissajjanāvasāne sāmaṇero arahattaṃ pāpuṇi. Satthā theraṃ āmantetvā ‘‘gaccha, sāriputta, sāmaṇerassa te bhattaṃ dehī’’ti āha. Thero gantvā dvāraṃ ākoṭesi. Sāmaṇeropi nikkhamitvā upajjhāyassa vattaṃ katvā ‘‘bhattakiccaṃ karohī’’ti vutte therassa bhattena anatthikabhāvaṃ ñatvā sattavassikakumāro taṅkhaṇaññeva arahattaṃ patto nīcāsanaṭṭhānaṃ paccavekkhanto bhattakiccaṃ katvā pattaṃ dhovi. Tasmiṃ kāle cattāro mahārājāno ārakkhaṃ vissajjesuṃ. Candimasūriyāpi vimānāni muñciṃsu. Sakkopi āviñchanaṭṭhāne ārakkhaṃ vissajjesi. Sūriyo nabhamajjhaṃ atikkantoyeva paññāyi. Bhikkhū ‘‘sāyanho paññāyati, sāmaṇerena ca idāneva bhattakiccaṃ kataṃ, kiṃ nu kho ajja pubbaṇho balavā jāto, sāyanho mando’’ti vadiṃsu. Satthā āgantvā ‘‘kāya nuttha, bhikkhave, etarahi kathāya sannisinnā’’ti pucchitvā, ‘‘bhante, ajja pubbaṇho balavā jāto, sāyanho mando, sāmaṇerena ca idāneva bhattakiccaṃ kataṃ, atha ca pana sūriyo nabhamajjhaṃ atikkantoyeva paññāyatī’’ti vutte, ‘‘bhikkhave, evamevaṃ hoti puññavantānaṃ samaṇadhammakaraṇakāle. Ajja hi cattāro mahārājāno sāmantā ārakkhaṃ gaṇhiṃsu, candimasūriyā vimānāni gahetvā aṭṭhaṃsu, sakko āviñchanake ārakkhaṃ gaṇhi, ahampi dvārakoṭṭhake ārakkhaṃ gaṇhiṃ, ajja sukhasāmaṇero mātikāya udakaṃ harante, usukāre usuṃ ujuṃ karonte, tacchake cakkādīni karonte disvā attānaṃ dametvā arahattaṃ patto’’ti vatvā imaṃ gāthamāha –

The Elder brought the food. The Teacher asked the Elder four questions as on a similar occasion before, and when the Elder had answered the last of the questions, the novice attained Arahatship. Then the Teacher addressed the Elder, saying, "Go, Sāriputta, give the novice his food." The Elder went and forced the door, whereupon the novice came out and paid his respects to the Elder. "Eat the food I have brought you," said the Elder. Thereupon a mere seven-year-old boy, who had but a moment before attained Arahatship, persuaded of the utter uselessness of the food which the Elder had brought him, contemplating the estate of Nibbāna, ate the food and washed the bowl.

At that moment the Four Great Kings left their posts, the moon and the sun started up their cars, Sakka left his post at the rope of the door, and the sun passed beyond the zenith before the eyes of all. Said the monks, "Evening is now come on, and the novice has just finished his meal. Why was the morning so long to-day, and the evening so tardy?" Just then the Teacher approached and asked the monks, "Monks, what is it that you are sitting here talking about now?" The monks replied, "Reverend Sir, to-day the morning seemed very long, and the evening was tardy. The novice has but just finished his meal. Moreover the sun has just passed beyond the zenith before our very eyes." The Teacher replied,

"Monks, that is what always happens when they that possess merit engage in meditation. For to-day the Four Great Kings kept guard on all sides; the moon and the sun stopped their cars and stood still; Sakka kept guard at the rope of the door; and I myself stood guard at the gateway. To-day the novice Sukha saw ditch-diggers leading the water in a watercourse, arrow-makers straightening their arrows, and carpenters fashioning wheels and so forth. And having seen these things, he subdued himself and attained Arahatship." And so saying, he pronounced the following Stanza,