Dhammapada 3.2.p2

3.2.p2

Kosalarañño kira vijite pabbatapāde mātikagāmo nāma eko ghanavāso gāmo ahosi. Athekadivasaṃ saṭṭhimattā bhikkhū satthu santike yāva arahattā kammaṭṭhānaṃ kathāpetvā taṃ gāmaṃ gantvā piṇḍāya pavisiṃsu. Atha ne yo tassa gāmassa sāmiko mātiko nāma, tassa mātā disvā gehe nisīdāpetvā nānaggarasena yāgubhattena parivisitvā, ‘‘bhante, kattha gantukāmā’’ti pucchi. ‘‘Yathā phāsukaṭṭhānaṃ mahāupāsike’’ti. Sā ‘‘vassāvāsaṭṭhānaṃ, ayyā, pariyesanti maññe’’ti ñatvā pādamūle nipajjitvā, ‘‘sace, ayyā, imaṃ temāsaṃ idha vasissanti, ahaṃ tīṇi saraṇāni, pañca sīlāni gahetvā uposathakammaṃ karissāmī’’ti āha. Bhikkhū ‘‘mayaṃ imaṃ nissāya bhikkhāya akilamantā bhavanissaraṇaṃ kātuṃ sakkhissāmā’’ti adhivāsayiṃsu. Sā tesaṃ vasanaṭṭhānaṃ vihāraṃ paṭijaggitvā adāsi.

In the country of the king of the Kosalans, it appears, at the foot of a mountain, was a certain thickly settled village named Mātika. Now one day sixty monks who had received from the Teacher a Subject of Meditation leading to Arahatship came to this village and entered it for alms. Now the headman of this village was a man named Mātika. When Mātika's mother saw the monks, she provided them with seats, served them with rice-porridge flavored with all manner of choice flavors, and asked them, "Reverend Sirs, where do you desire to go?" "To some pleasant place, great lay disciple." Knowing that the monks were seeking a place of residence for the season of the rains, she flung herself at their feet and said to them, "If the noble monks will reside here during these three months, I will take upon myself the Three Refuges and the Five Precepts and will perform Fast-day duties." The monks consented, thinking to themselves, "With her assistance we shall be free from anxiety on the score of food and shall be able to effect Escape from Existence."

Mātika's mother superintended the erection of a monastery to serve as their place of residence, presented it to them, and the monks took up their residence there. On a certain day they met together and admonished each other as follows, "Brethren, it behooves us not to live the life of Heedlessness, for before us stand the Eight Great Hells with gates wide open, even as our own houses. Now we have come hither thus, having received a Subject of Meditation from the living Buddha. And the favor of the Buddhas cannot be won by a deceitful person, even though he walk in their very footsteps. Only by doing the will of the Buddhas can their favor be won. Therefore be Heedful. Two monks may neither stand nor sit in any one place. In the evening we shall meet together to wait upon the Elder, and early in the morning we shall meet together when it is time to go the rounds for alms. At other times two of us must never be together. If, however, a monk be taken sick, let him come to the monastery court and strike a bell. At the signal given by the stroke on the bell, we will come together and provide a remedy for him." Having made this agreement, they entered upon residence.