Verses on Dhamma 11.1: 1. Visākhāya sahāyikānaṃ vatthu

11.1.p1

Ko nu hāso kimānandoti imaṃ dhammadesanaṃ satthā jetavane viharanto visākhāya sahāyikāyo ārabbha kathesi.

Why laughter? why exultation? This religious instruction was given by the Teacher while he was in residence at Jetavana with reference to Visākhā’s companions.

11.1.p2

Sāvatthiyaṃ kira pañcasatā kulaputtā ‘‘evaṃ imā appamādavihāriniyo bhavissantī’’ti attano attano bhariyāyo visākhaṃ mahāupāsikaṃ sampaṭicchāpesuṃ. Tā uyyānaṃ vā vihāraṃ vā gacchantiyo tāya saddhiṃyeva gacchanti. Tā ekasmiṃ kāle ‘‘sattāhaṃ surāchaṇo bhavissatī’’ti chaṇe saṅghuṭṭhe attano attano sāmikānaṃ suraṃ paṭiyādesuṃ. Te sattāhaṃ surāchaṇaṃ kīḷitvā aṭṭhame divase kammantabheriyā nikkhantāya kammante agamaṃsu. Tāpi itthiyo ‘‘mayaṃ sāmikānaṃ sammukhā suraṃ pātuṃ na labhimhā, avasesā surā ca atthi, idaṃ yathā te na jānanti, tathā pivissāmā’’ti visākhāya santikaṃ gantvā ‘‘icchāma, ayye, uyyānaṃ daṭṭhu’’nti vatvā ‘‘sādhu, ammā, tena hi kattabbakiccāni katvā nikkhamathā’’ti vutte tāya saddhiṃ gantvā paṭicchannākārena suraṃ nīharāpetvā uyyāne pivitvā mattā vicariṃsu. Visākhāpi ‘‘ayuttaṃ imāhi kataṃ, idāni maṃ ‘samaṇassa gotamassa sāvikā visākhā suraṃ pivitvā vicaratī’ti titthiyāpi garahissantī’’ti cintetvā tā itthiyo āha – ‘‘ammā ayuttaṃ vo kataṃ, mamapi ayaso uppādito, sāmikāpi vo kujjhissanti, idāni kiṃ karissathā’’ti. Gilānālayaṃ dassayissāma, ayyeti. Tena hi paññāyissatha sakena kammenāti. Tā gehaṃ gantvā gilānālayaṃ kariṃsu. Atha tāsaṃ sāmikā ‘‘itthannāmā ca itthannāmā ca kaha’’nti pucchitvā ‘‘gilānā’’ti sutvā ‘‘addhā etāhi avasesasurā pītā bhavissantī’’ti sallakkhetvā tā pothetvā anayabyasanaṃ pāpesuṃ. Tā aparasmimpi chaṇavāre tatheva suraṃ pivitukāmā visākhaṃ upasaṅkamitvā, ‘‘ayye, uyyānaṃ no nehī’’ti vatvā ‘‘pubbepi me tumhehi ayaso uppādito, gacchatha, na vo ahaṃ nessāmī’’ti tāya paṭikkhittā ‘‘idāni evaṃ na karissāmā’’ti sammantayitvā puna taṃ upasaṅkamitvā āhaṃsu, ‘‘ayye, buddhapūjaṃ kātukāmāmhā, vihāraṃ no nehī’’ti. Idāni ammā yujjati, gacchatha, parivacchaṃ karothāti. Tā caṅkoṭakehi gandhamālādīni gāhāpetvā surāpuṇṇe muṭṭhivārake hatthehi olambetvā mahāpaṭe pārupitvā visākhaṃ upasaṅkamitvā tāya saddhiṃ vihāraṃ pavisamānā ekamantaṃ gantvā muṭṭhivārakeheva suraṃ pivitvā vārake chaḍḍetvā dhammasabhāyaṃ satthu purato nisīdiṃsu.

The story goes that five hundred young men of respectable families living at Sāvatthi intrusted their wives to the care of the eminent female lay disciple Visākhā, confident that under such auspices they would live the life of Heedfulness. From that time forth, whether they went to the pleasure garden or to the monastery, they went always with Visākhā. Now on a certain occasion proclamation was made of a drinking festival to last seven days. Accordingly those women prepared strong drink for their husbands, and their husbands took part in the festival, carousing for a period of seven days. On the eighth day the drum went forth to announce the resumption of work, and they returned to their work.

Those women thought to themselves, “We have not been permitted to drink strong drink in the presence of our husbands. Yet plenty of strong drink remains. Let us therefore drink it, but let us take care that our husbands shall know nothing about it.” Accordingly they went to Visākhā and said to her, “Noble lady, we desire to visit the pleasure garden.” “Very well, dear friends, perform your various duties first; then you may go out.” They went with Visākhā, causing strong drink to be removed surreptitiously, drank it in the garden, and roamed about in a state of intoxication. Visākhā thought to herself, “These women have committed a gross impropriety. Now the heretics also will find ground of reproach and will say, ‘The female lay disciples of the monk Gotama go about drinking strong drink.’” So she said to those women, “Dear friends, you have committed a gross impropriety and have brought disgrace upon me

also. Your husbands also will be enraged at you. Now what will you do?" "Noble lady, we shall pretend to be sick." "Very well, you will acquire notoriety by your own doings." The women went home and pretended to be sick.

Now their husbands inquired, "Where is So-and-so? Where is So-and-so?" "Sick." "They undoubtedly drank the strong drink that remained," concluded their husbands. Therefore they beat them and brought distress and unhappiness upon them. At a subsequent drinking festival those same women desired to drink strong drink in the same manner as before. So they went to Visākhā and said to her, "Noble lady, conduct us to the pleasure garden." But Visākhā refused to do so, saying, "The last time I did so, you brought disgrace upon me. Go by yourselves; I will not conduct you thither." The women decided, "We will not act so this time." So they went to Visākhā again and said to her, "Noble lady, we desire to do honor to the Buddha; conduct us to the monastery." "What you propose to do now is quite proper; go make preparations."

So taking perfumes and garlands in caskets, carrying in their hands jugs filled with strong drink, wearing great cloaks, they approached Visākhā, and accompanied her to the monastery. Then they went off by themselves and drank strong drink out of their jugs. And throwing away their jugs, they seated themselves in the Hall of Truth in the presence of the Teacher. Said Visākhā to the Teacher, "Reverend Sir, preach the Law to these women." But those same women were so drunk that their bodies swayed back and forth, and suddenly they took it into their heads to dance and sing.

11.1.p3

Visākhā ‘‘imāsaṃ, bhante, dhammaṃ kathethā’’ti āha. Tāpi madavegena kampamānasarīrā ‘‘iccāma, gāyāmā’’ti cittaṃ uppādesuṃ. Athekā mārakāyikā devatā ‘‘imāsaṃ sarīre adhimuccitvā samaṇassa gotamassa purato vippakāraṃ dassessāmī’’ti cintetvā tāsaṃ sarīre adhimucci. Tāsu ekaccā satthu purato pāṇiṃ paharitvā hasituṃ, ekaccā naccituṃ ārabhiṃsu. Satthā ‘‘kiṃ ida’’nti āvajjento taṃ kāraṇaṃ ñatvā ‘‘na idāni mārakāyikānaṃ otāraṃ labhituṃ dassāmi. Na hi mayā ettakaṃ kālaṃ pāramiyo pūrentena mārakāyikānaṃ otāralābhatthāya pūritā’’ti tā saṃvejetuṃ bhamukalomato rasmiyo vissajjesi, tāvadeva andhakāratimisā ahosi. Tā bhītā ahesuṃ maraṇabhayatajjitā. Tena tāsaṃ kucchiyaṃ surā jīri. Satthā nisinnapallaṅke antarahito sinerumuddhani ṭhatvā uṇṇālomato rasmiṃ vissajjesi, taṅkhaṇaṃyeva candasahassuggamanaṃ viya ahosi. Atha satthā tā itthiyo āmantetvā ‘‘tumhehi mama santikaṃ āgacchamānāhi pamattāhi āgantuṃ na vaṭṭati. Tumhākañhi pamādeneva mārakāyikā devatā otāraṃ labhitvā tumhe hasādīnaṃ akaraṇaṭṭhāne hasādīni kārāpesi, idāni tumhehi rāgādīnaṃ aggīnaṃ nibbāpanatthāya ussāhaṃ kātuṃ vaṭṭatī’’ti vatvā imaṃ gāthamāha –

Now a certain deity belonging to the host of Māra thought to herself, "I will possess the bodies of these women and cause them to commit gross improprieties in the presence of the monk Gotama." And straightway she took possession of their bodies. Thereupon some of them clapped their hands before the Teacher and laughed, while others began to dance. The Teacher considered within himself, "What does this mean?" Immediately perceiving the cause, he said to himself, "I shall not now permit the deities of the host of Māra to descend. For during all the time I was fulfilling the Perfections, it was certainly not for the purpose of allowing the deities of the host of Māra to descend that I fulfilled them."

Accordingly, that he might frighten those women, the Teacher sent forth a dark-blue ray from the hair of his eyebrow. Straightway there was black darkness. Those women were terrified with the fear of death. So intense was their fear that the strong drink within their bellies dried up. Then the Teacher vanished from the couch on which he sat, stood on the top of Mount Sineru, and sent forth a ray of light from the hair between his eyebrows. At that moment it was as though a thousand moons had risen. Then he addressed those women, saying, "When you approach and come into my presence, you must not approach in heedlessness. For in consequence of your heedlessness a deity of the host of Māra got possession of you, and at a time when you should not have laughed or behaved lightly, he caused you to laugh and to misbehave. You should henceforth make every effort to quench the fire of lust and of the other evil passions." So saying, he pronounced the following Stanza,

11.1.146

‘‘Ko nu hāso kimānando, niccaṃ pajjalite sati;
Andhakārena onaddhā, padīpaṃ na gavesathā’’ti.

146. Why laughter? why exultation? For the world is ever aflame.
Will ye not seek a light, ye that are shrouded in darkness?

11.1.146_2

Tattha ānandoti tuṭṭhi. Idaṃ vuttaṃ hoti – imasmiṃ lokasannivāse rāgādīhi ekādasahi aggīhi niccaṃ pajjalite sati ko nu tumhākaṃ hāso vā tuṭṭhi vā? Nanu esa akattabbarūpoyeva. Aṭṭhavatthukena hi avijjāndhakārena onaddhā tumhe tasseva andhakārassa vidhamanatthāya kiṃ kāraṇā ñāṇappadīpaṃ na gavesatha na karothāti.

11.1.146_3

Desanāvasāne pañcasatāpi tā itthiyo sotāpattiphale patiṭṭhahiṃsu.

11.1.146_4

Satthā tāsaṃ acalasaddhāya patiṭṭhitabhāvaṃ ñatvā sinerumatthakā otaritvā buddhāsane nisīdi. Atha naṃ visākhā āha – ‘‘bhante, surā nāmesā pāpikā. Evarūpā hi nāma imā itthiyo tumhādisassa buddhassa purato nisīditvā iriyāpathamattampi saṇṭhāpetuṃ asakkontiyo uṭṭhāya pāṇiṃ paharitvā hasanagītanaccādīni ārabhiṃsū’’ti. Satthā ‘‘āma, visākhe, pāpikā eva esā surā nāma. Etañhi nissāya aneke sattā anayabyasanaṃ pattā’’ti vatvā ‘‘kadā panesā, bhante, uppannā’’ti vutte tassā uppattiṃ vitthārena kathetuṃ atītaṃ āharitvā kumbhajātakaṃ (jā. 1.16.33 ādayo) kathesīti.

The Teacher, knowing that the women were established in faith that cannot be shaken, descended from the summit of Mount Sineru and seated himself in the Seat of the Buddha. Thereupon Visākhā said to him, "Verily strong drink is an evil thing. Women of such quality as these women, seating themselves before a Buddha like you, were unable to control their movements, but springing to their feet, clapped their hands and began to laugh and sing and dance." The Teacher replied, "Yes, Visākhā, strong drink is indeed an evil thing, for because of it numberless living beings have come to distress and unhappiness." "But, Reverend Sir, at what time did this episode have its beginning?" In response to this question the Teacher, desiring to relate in detail the circumstances that led to this episode, told a Story of the Past, relating the Kumbha Jātaka.

11.1.146_5

Visākhāya sahāyikānaṃ vatthu paṭhamaṃ.