Verses on Dhamma 25.12.p16

25.12.p16

Āha. Athassa etadahosi – ‘‘yo so tadā mayā upariṭṭhassa dinnapiṇḍapātato kahāpaṇe datvā pattiṃ aggahesi, mama sahāyako sumanaseṭṭhi kahaṃ nu kho so etarahi nibbatto’’ti. Atha naṃ ‘‘viñjhāṭaviyaṃ pabbatapāde muṇḍanigamo nāma atthi, tattha mahāmuṇḍassa nāma upāsakassa mahāsumano cūḷasumanoti dve puttā, tesu so cūḷasumano hutvā nibbatto’’ti addasa. Disvā ca pana cintesi – ‘‘atthi nu kho tattha mayi gate upakāro, natthī’’ti. So upadhārento idaṃ addasa ‘‘so tattha mayi gate sattavassikova nikkhamitvā pabbajissati, khuraggeyeva ca arahattaṃ pāpuṇissatī’’ti. Disvā ca pana upakaṭṭhe antovasse ākāsena gantvā gāmadvāre otari. Mahāmuṇḍo pana upāsako therassa pubbepi vissāsiko eva. So theraṃ piṇḍapātakāle cīvaraṃ pārupantaṃ disvā puttaṃ mahāsumanaṃ āha – ‘‘tāta, ayyo, me anuruddhatthero āgato, yāvassa añño koci pattaṃ na gaṇhāti, tāvassa gantvā pattaṃ gaṇha, ahaṃ āsanaṃ paññāpessāmī’’ti. So tathā akāsi. Upāsako theraṃ antonivesane sakkaccaṃ parivisitvā temāsaṃ vasanatthāya paṭiññaṃ gaṇhi, theropi adhivāsesi.

Then the following thought occurred to him, “Where has my friend Treasurer Sumana been reborn, he that offered me money for the portion of alms I gave to Upariṭṭha, and received the merit thereof?” Straightway he saw him and said, “In Viñjha Forest, at the foot of a mountain, there is a market-town named Muṇḍa; and there lives a lay disciple named Mahā Muṇḍa, and he has two sons, Mahā Sumana and Culla Sumana. Treasurer Sumana has been reborn as Culla Sumana." Having seen him, he thought to himself, "Is there any use in my going there or not?" Considering the matter, he saw the following, "So soon as I go there, although he is but seven years old, he will come forth from the world and become a monk, and will attain Arahatship at the razor's edge." Having seen all this, since the season of the rains was at hand, he proceeded through the air and alighted at the gate of the village.

Now the lay disciple Mahā Muṇḍa had been an intimate friend of the Elder in a previous state of existence also. So when it was time to go the rounds for alms, seeing the Elder putting on his robe, he said to his son Mahā Sumana, "Dear son, my noble master the Elder Anuruddha has arrived. So long as no one else takes his bowl, you go take his bowl, and I will provide a seat for him." Mahā Sumana did so. The lay disciple showed the Elder every attention in his house, and obtained his promise to reside there during the three months of the rains, the Elder graciously consenting. The lay disciple cared for the Elder during the three months of the rains as faithfully as though he were caring for him for but a single day.