Dhammapada 26.32.p3

26.32.p3

Athekadivasaṃ sāvatthiyaṃ tassa mātāpitaro ekasmiṃ chaṇadivase mahantena sirisobhaggena tassa sahāyakakumārake kīḷamāne disvā ‘‘amhākaṃ puttassa idaṃ dullabhaṃ jāta’’nti parideviṃsu. Tasmiṃ khaṇe ekā gaṇikā taṃ kulaṃ gantvā tassa mātaraṃ rodamānaṃ nisinnaṃ disvā ‘‘amma, kiṃ kāraṇā rodasī’’ti pucchi. ‘‘Puttaṃ anussaritvā rodāmī’’ti. ‘‘Kahaṃ pana so, ammā’’ti? ‘‘Bhikkhūsu pabbajito’’ti. ‘‘Kiṃ uppabbājetuṃ na vaṭṭatī’’ti? ‘‘Vaṭṭati, na pana icchati, ito nikkhamitvā rājagahaṃ gato’’ti. ‘‘Sacāhaṃ taṃ uppabbājeyyaṃ, kiṃ me kareyyāthā’’ti? ‘‘Imassa te kulassa kuṭumbasāminiṃ kareyyāmā’’ti. Tena hi me paribbayaṃ dethāti paribbayaṃ gahetvā mahantena parivārena rājagahaṃ gantvā tassa piṇḍāya caraṇavīthiṃ sallakkhetvā tatthekaṃ nivāsagehaṃ gahetvā pātova paṇītaṃ āhāraṃ paṭiyādetvā therassa piṇḍāya paviṭṭhakāle bhikkhaṃ datvā katipāhaccayena, ‘‘bhante, idheva nisīditvā bhattakiccaṃ karothā’’ti pattaṃ gaṇhi. So pattamadāsi.

Now one day there was a festival at Sāvatthi, and on that day Ocean-of-Beauty's mother and father saw their son's playfellows diverting themselves amid great splendor and magnificence. Thereupon they began to weep and lament, saying, "This is past our son's getting now." At that moment a certain courtezan came to the house, and seeing his mother as she sat weeping, asked her, "Mother, why do you weep?" "I keep thinking of my son; that is why I weep." "But, mother, where is he?" "Among the monks, retired from the world." "Would it not be proper to make him return to the world?" "Yes, indeed; but he doesn't wish to do that. He has left Sāvatthi and gone to Rājagaha." "Suppose I were to succeed in making him return to the world; what would you do for me?" "We would make you the mistress of all the wealth of this household." "Very well, give me my expenses." And taking the amount of her expenses, she surrounded herself with a large retinue and went to Rājagaha.

Taking note of the street in which the Elder was accustomed to make his round for alms, she obtained a house in this street and took up her abode therein. And early in the morning she prepared choice food, and when the Elder entered the street to make his round for alms, she gave him alms. After a few days had passed, she said to him, "Reverend Sir, sit down right here and eat your meal." So saying, she offered to take his bowl, and the Elder yielded his bowl willingly. Then she served him with choice food, and having so done, said to him, "Reverend Sir, right here is the most delightful spot to which you could come on your round for alms." For a few days she enticed him to sit on the veranda, and there provided him with choice food.