Verses on Dhamma 5.14.74_6

5.14.74_6

Sudhammattheropi imaṃ ovādaṃ sutvā satthāraṃ vanditvā uṭṭhāyāsanā padakkhiṇaṃ katvā tena anudūtena bhikkhunā saddhiṃ gantvā upāsakassa cakkhupathe āpattiṃ paṭikaritvā upāsakaṃ khamāpesi. So upāsakena ‘‘khamāmahaṃ, bhante, sace mayhaṃ doso atthi, khamatha me’’ti paṭikhamāpito satthārā dinne ovāde ṭhatvā katipāheneva saha paṭisambhidāhi arahattaṃ pāpuṇi. Upāsakopi cintesi – ‘‘mayā satthāraṃ adisvāva sotāpattiphalaṃ pattaṃ, adisvā eva anāgāmiphale patiṭṭhito, satthāraṃ me daṭṭhuṃ vaṭṭatī’’ti. So tilataṇḍulasappiphāṇitavatthacchādanādīhi paripūrāni pañca sakaṭasatāni yojāpetvā ‘‘satthāraṃ daṭṭhukāmā āgacchantu, piṇḍapātādīhi na kilamissantī’’ti bhikkhusaṅghassa ārocāpetvā bhikkhunīsaṅghassāpi upāsakānampi upāsikānampi ārocāpesi. Tena saddhiṃ pañcasatā pañcasatā bhikkhū ca bhikkhuniyo ca upāsakā ca upāsikāyo ca nikkhamiṃsu. So tesañceva attano parisāya cāti tiṇṇaṃ janasahassānaṃ yathā tiṃsayojane magge yāgubhattādīhi kiñci vekallaṃ na hoti, tathā saṃvidahi. Tassa pana nikkhantabhāvaṃ ñatvā yojane yojane devatā khandhāvāraṃ bandhitvā dibbehi yāgukhajjakabhattapānakādīhi taṃ mahājanaṃ upaṭṭhahiṃsu, kassaci kenaci vekallaṃ na hoti. Evaṃ devatāhi upaṭṭhiyamāno devasikaṃ yojanaṃ gacchanto māsena sāvatthiṃ pāpuṇi, pañca sakaṭasatāni yathāpūritāneva ahesuṃ. Devatāhi ceva manussehi ca abhihaṭaṃ paṇṇākāraṃ vissajjentova agamāsi.

After listening to this admonition Elder Sudhamma bowed to the Teacher, rose from his seat, walked sunwise about the Teacher, and then, accompanied by his companion-monk, went within sight of the lay disciple, atoned for his fault, and begged the disciple’s pardon. The lay disciple both pardoned him and in turn asked his pardon, saying, “I pardon you, Reverend Sir; if I am to blame, pray pardon me also.” The Elder abode steadfast in the admonition given by the Teacher, and in but a few days attained Arahatship together with the Supernatural Faculties.

The lay disciple thought to himself, “Even without seeing the Teacher I have attained the Fruit of Conversion; even without seeing him I have attained the Fruit of the Second Path. I ought to see the Teacher.” So he ordered yoked five hundred carts full of sesame, rice, ghee, sugar, garments, coverlets, and other offerings, and sent word to the Congregation of Monks, to the Congregation of Nuns, and to the lay disciples both male and female, “Let those who wish to see the Teacher come; they will lack nothing for offerings, whether of food or aught else.” With him went forth, of monks and nuns and lay disciples both male and female, five hundred each. That neither they nor his own retinue, three thousand souls in all, might lack broth or rice or aught else on the thirty-league journey, the householder Citta made ample provision. The deities, knowing that he had set out, posted themselves at intervals of a league along the way, and served that great multitude with rice-porridge, hard food, drink, and other necessities; there was no lack of aught for any. Proceeding at the rate of a league a day, waited upon in this manner by deities, the householder Citta and his retinue reached Sāvatthi in a month. There were five hundred carts filled as described above; and as the householder proceeded, deities and men brought presents, which he gave away.