Dhammapada 19.3.p4

19.3.p4

So kira uposathadivasesu sayameva dhammassavanaṃ ghosetvā imaṃ gāthaṃ vadati. Pathaviundriyanasaddo viya devatānaṃ sādhukārasaddo hoti. Athekasmiṃ uposathadivase pañcapañcasataparivārā dve tipiṭakadharā bhikkhū tassa vasanaṭṭhānaṃ agamaṃsu. So te disvāva tuṭṭhamānaso ‘‘sādhu vo kataṃ idha āgacchantehi, ajja mayaṃ tumhākaṃ dhammaṃ suṇissāmā’’ti āha. Atthi pana, āvuso, idha dhammaṃ sotukāmāti. Atthi, bhante, ayaṃ vanasaṇḍo dhammassavanadivase devatānaṃ sādhukārasaddena ekaninnādo hotīti. Tesu eko tipiṭakadharo dhammaṃ osāresi, eko kathesi. Ekadevatāpi sādhukāraṃ nādāsi. Te āhaṃsu – ‘‘tvaṃ, āvuso, dhammassavanadivase imasmiṃ vanasaṇḍe devatā mahantena saddena sādhukāraṃ dentīti vadesi, kiṃ nāmeta’’nti. Bhante, aññesu divasesu sādhukārasaddena ekaninnādo eva hoti, na ajja pana jānāmi ‘‘kimeta’’nti. ‘‘Tena hi, āvuso, tvaṃ tāva dhammaṃ kathehī’’ti. So bījaniṃ gahetvā āsane nisinno tameva gāthaṃ vadesi. Devatā mahantena saddena sādhukāramadaṃsu. Atha nesaṃ parivārā bhikkhū ujjhāyiṃsu ‘‘imasmiṃ vanasaṇḍe devatā mukholokanena sādhukāraṃ dadanti, tipiṭakadharabhikkhūsu ettakaṃ bhaṇantesupi kiñci pasaṃsanamattampi avatvā ekena mahallakattherena ekagāthāya kathitāya mahāsaddena sādhukāraṃ dadantī’’ti. Tepi vihāraṃ gantvā satthu tamatthaṃ ārocesuṃ.

On Fast-days Elder Ekuddāna himself alone sounded the call to attend the preaching of the Law and uttered this Stanza, whereupon the deities shouted applause with a noise like that of the earth splitting open. Now it so happened that on a certain Fast-day two monks versed in the Tipiṭaka came to his place of abode, attended by a retinue of five hundred monks each. When he saw them, his heart was filled with joy, and he said to them, "You have done well to come here; to-day we will listen to the Law." "But, brother, there

are no persons here to listen to the Law.” “Yes, there are, Reverend Sirs; on a day when the Law is expounded, this forest-grove is filled with the noise of the shouts of applause of the deities.”

One of the Elders recited the Law and the other expounded the Law, but not even a single deity gave applause. Said the Elders, “Brother, you said to us, ‘On a day when the Law is expounded, the deities in this forest-grove give applause with a loud noise;’ what does this mean?” “Brethren, on other days there has been just such a noise; I do not know what is the matter to-day.” “Well then, brother, you just preach the Law.” Elder Ekuddāna took the fan, and sitting in his seat, pronounced that one Stanza. The deities shouted applause with a loud noise.

Now the twice five hundred attending monks were highly offended at the deities and said, “The deities in this forest-grove show respect of persons in giving applause. Though monks versed in the Tipiṭaka uttered so much of the Law, they gave not so much as a world of approval; but just because a certain old Elder recited a single Stanza, they shouted applause with a loud noise.” And going to the monastery, they reported the incident to the Teacher. Said the Teacher, “Monks, I call not him versed in the Law who knows or utters much of the Law; but whosoever masters even a single Stanza and clearly understands the Truths, such a man is verily and indeed versed in the Law.” So saying, he pronounced the following Stanza,