Dhammapada 4.3.p4

4.3.p4

Rājā bhikkhūnaṃ gatakāle āgantvā khādanīyabhojanīyāni tatheva ṭhitāni disvā, ‘‘kiṃ, ayyā, nāgamiṃsū’’ti pucchitvā, ‘‘ānandatthero ekakova āgato devā’’ti sutvā, ‘‘addhā ettakaṃ me bhattacchedanamakaṃsū’’ti bhikkhūnaṃ kuddho satthu santikaṃ gantvā, ‘‘bhante, mayā pañcannaṃ bhikkhusatānaṃ bhikkhā paṭiyattā, ānandatthero kira ekakovāgato, paṭiyattā bhikkhā tatheva ṭhitā, pañcasatā bhikkhū mama gehe saññaṃ na kariṃsu, kiṃ nu kho kāraṇa’’nti āha. Satthā bhikkhūnaṃ dosaṃ avatvā, ‘‘mahārāja, mama sāvakānaṃ tumhehi saddhiṃ vissāso natthi, tena na gatā bhavissantī’’ti vatvā kulānaṃ anupagamanakāraṇañca upagamanakāraṇañca pakāsento bhikkhū āmantetvā imaṃ suttamāha –

When it was time for the monks to depart, the king came, and observing that the food, both hard and soft, had not been touched, he inquired, “Did not the noble monks come?” “The Elder Ānanda was the only one who came, your majesty.” “Just see the loss they have caused me,” said the king. Angry at the monks, he went to the Teacher and said, “Reverend Sir, I prepared food for five hundred monks, and Ānanda, it appears, was the only one who came. The food which was prepared remains there still untouched, and the monks have not put in the sign of an appearance in my house. Pray what is the reason for this?” The Teacher, imputing no fault to the monks, replied, “Great king, my disciples lack confidence in you; it must be for that reason that they failed to come.” And addressing the monks and setting forth first the conditions under which monks are not bound to visit families, and then the conditions under which it is proper for them so to do, he recited the following Sutta, –