Verses on Dhamma 6.5.p7

6.5.p7

So gehaṃ gantvā bhariyaṃ āha – ‘‘mayā bhatiṃ katvā sāli laddho, ayaṃ nivāpo bhavissati, tayā laddhāya bhatiyā dadhitelakaṭukabhaṇḍāni gaṇhāhī’’ti. Seṭṭhibhariyāpi puna tassā ekaṃ sappikaroṭikañceva dadhibhājanañca kaṭukabhaṇḍañca suddhataṇḍuḷināḷiñca dāpesi. Iti ca ubhinnampi nava taṇḍulanāḷiyo ahesuṃ. Te ‘‘deyyadhammo no laddho’’ti tuṭṭhahaṭṭhā pātova uṭṭhahiṃsu. Bhariyā mahāduggataṃ āha – ‘‘gaccha, sāmi, paṇṇaṃ pariyesitvā āharā’’ti. So antarāpaṇe paṇṇaṃ adisvā nadītīraṃ gantvā ‘‘ajja ayyānaṃ bhojanaṃ dātuṃ labhissāmī’’ti pahaṭṭhamānaso gāyanto paṇṇaṃ uccinati. Mahājālaṃ khipitvā ṭhito kevaṭṭo ‘‘mahāduggatassa saddena bhavitabba’’nti taṃ pakkositvā pucchi – ‘‘ativiya tuṭṭhacitto gāyasi, kiṃ nu kho kāraṇa’’nti? ‘‘Paṇṇaṃ uccināmi, sammā’’ti. ‘‘Kiṃ karissasī’’ti? ‘‘Ekaṃ bhikkhuṃ bhojessāmī’’ti. ‘‘Aho sukhito, bhikkhu, so tava kiṃ paṇṇaṃ khādissatī’’ti? ‘‘Kiṃ karomi, samma, attanā laddhapaṇṇena bhojessāmī’’ti? ‘‘Tena hi ehī’’ti. ‘‘Kiṃ karomi, sammā’’ti? ‘‘Ime macche gahetvā pādagghanakāni aḍḍhagghanakāni kahāpaṇagghanakāni ca uddānāni karohī’’ti. So tathā akāsi. Baddhabaddhe macche nagaravāsino nimantitanimantitānaṃ bhikkhūnaṃ atthāya hariṃsu. Tassa macchuddānāni karontasseva bhikkhācāravelā pāpuṇi. So velaṃ sallakkhetvā ‘‘gamissāmahaṃ, samma, ayaṃ bhikkhūnaṃ āgamanavelā’’ti āha. ‘‘Atthi pana kiñci macchuddāna’’nti? ‘‘Natthi, samma, sabbāni khīṇānī’’ti. ‘‘Tena hi mayā attano atthāya vālukāya nikhaṇitvā cattāro rohitamacchā ṭhapitā, sace bhikkhuṃ bhojetukāmosi, ime gahetvā gacchā’’ti te macche tassa adāsi.

Filled with joy and satisfaction at the thought that they had received food to bestow in alms, they rose very early in the morning. Mahāduggata’s wife said to him, “Husband, go seek leaves for curry and fetch them home.” Seeing no leaves in the shop, he went to the bank of the river. And there he went about picking up leaves, singing for joy at the thought, “To-day I shall have the privilege of giving food to the noble monks.”

A fisherman who had just thrown his big net into the water and was standing close by thought to himself, “That must be the voice of Mahāduggata.” So he called him and asked, “You sing as though you were overjoyed at heart; what is the reason?” “I am picking up leaves, friend.” “What are you going to do?” “I am going to provide food for one monk.” “Happy indeed the monk who shall eat your leaves!” “What else can I do, master? I intend to provide for him with the leaves I have myself gathered.” “Well then, come here.” “What do you wish me to do, master?” “Take these fish and tie them up in bundles to sell for a pāda, a half-pāda, and a penny.”

Mahāduggata did as he was told, and the residents of the city bought them for the monks they had invited. He was still engaged in tying up bundles of fish when the time came for the monks to go on their rounds for alms, whereupon he said to the fisherman, “I must go now, friend; it is time for the monks to come.” “Are there any bundles of fish left?” “No, friend, they are all gone.” “Well then, here are four redfish which I buried in the sand for my own use. If you intend to provide food for the monks, take them with you.” So saying, he gave him the redfish.