Verses on Dhamma 7.7.p2

7.7.p2

Eko kira kosambivāsī kulaputto satthu sāsane pabbajitvā laddhupasampado ‘‘kosambivāsītissatthero’’ti paññāyi. Tassa kosambiyaṃ vuṭṭhavassassa upaṭṭhāko ticīvarañceva sappiphāṇitañca āharitvā pādamūle ṭhapesi. Atha naṃ thero āha – ‘‘kiṃ idaṃ upāsakā’’ti. ‘‘Nanu mayā, bhante, tumhe vassaṃ vāsitā, amhākañca vihāre vuṭṭhavassā imaṃ lābhaṃ labhanti, gaṇhatha, bhante’’ti. ‘‘Hotu, upāsaka, na mayhaṃ iminā attho’’ti. ‘‘Kiṃ kāraṇā, bhante’’ti? ‘‘Mama santike kappiyakārako sāmaṇeropi natthi, āvuso’’ti. ‘‘Sace, bhante, kappiyakārako natthi, mama putto ayyassa santike sāmaṇero bhavissatī’’ti. Thero adhivāsesi. Upāsako sattavassikaṃ attano puttaṃ therassa santikaṃ netvā ‘‘imaṃ pabbājethā’’ti adāsi. Athassa thero kese temetvā tacapañcakakammaṭṭhānaṃ datvā pabbājesi. So khuraggeyeva saha paṭisambhidāhi arahattaṃ pāpuṇi.

The story goes that a certain youth of station, residing at Kosambi, retired from the world and became a monk in the Religion of the Teacher. After making his full profession, he was known as Elder Kosambivāsī Tissa. After he had kept residence during the season of the rains at Kosambi, his supporter brought a set of three robes and offerings of ghee and jagghery and laid them at his feet. Said the Elder to him, “What are these, lay disciple?” “Reverend Sir, have you not kept residence with me during the season of the rains?

Those who keep residence in our monastery always receive these offerings; pray accept them, Reverend Sir." "Never mind, lay disciple, I have no need of them." "Why is that, Reverend Sir?" "I have no novice to perform the usual offices for me, brother." "Reverend Sir, if it be true that you have no novice to minister to your needs, my son will become your novice." The Elder graciously accepted the offer. The lay disciple brought his own son, but seven years old, to the Elder, and committed him into the Elder's hands, saying, "Pray receive him into the Order, Reverend Sir." The Elder moistened the boy's hair, taught him the Formula of Meditation on the first five of the Constituent Parts of the Body, and received him into the Order. The instant the razor touched his hair, he attained Arahatship, together with the Supernatural Faculties.