Dhammapada 3.7.41_3

3.7.41_3

Desanāvasāne pūtigattatissatthero saha paṭisambhidāhi arahattaṃ pāpuṇi, aññepi bahū sotāpannādayo ahesuṃ. Theropi arahattaṃ patvāva parinibbāyi. Satthā tassa sarīrakiccaṃ kārāpetvā dhātuyo gahetvā cetiyaṃ kārāpesi. Bhikkhū satthāraṃ pucchiṃsu – ‘‘bhante, pūtigattatissatthero kuhiṃ nibbatto’’ti. ‘‘Parinibbuto, bhikkhave’’ti. ‘‘Bhante, evarūpassa pana arahattūpanissayasampannassa bhikkhuno kiṃ kāraṇā gattaṃ putikaṃ jātaṃ, kiṃ kāraṇā aṭṭhīni bhinnāni, kimassa kāraṇaṃ arahattassa upanissayabhāvaṃ patta’’nti? ‘‘Bhikkhave, sabbametaṃ etassa attanā katakammeneva nibbatta’’nti. ‘‘Kiṃ pana tena, bhante, kata’’nti? ‘‘Tena hi, bhikkhave, suṇāthā’’ti atītaṃ āhari –

At the conclusion of the lesson Elder Pūtigatta Tissa attained Arahatship and passed into Nibbāna. The Teacher performed the funeral rites over his body, and taking the relics, caused a shrine to be erected.

The monks asked the Teacher, “Reverend Sir, where was Elder Pūtigatta Tissa reborn?” “He has passed into Nibbāna, monks.” “Reverend Sir, how did it happen that such a monk, predestined to attain Arahatship, came to have a diseased body? Why did his bones disintegrate? Through what deed in a former birth did he obtain the dispositions requisite for the attainment of Arahatship?” “Monks, all these things happened solely because of deeds he committed in a previous existence.” “But, Reverend Sir, what did he do?” “Well then, monks, listen.”