Dhammapada 8.2.p3

8.2.p3

Purāṇasālohitāti pubbe ekato katasamaṇadhammā. Pubbe kira kassapadasabalassa sāsane osakkamāne sāmaṇerādīnaṃ vippakāraṃ disvā satta bhikkhū saṃvegappattā ‘‘yāva sāsanassa antaradhānaṃ na hoti, tāva attano patiṭṭhaṃ karissāmā’’ti suvaṇṇacetiyaṃ vanditvā araññaṃ paviṭṭhā ekaṃ pabbataṃ disvā ‘‘jīvite sālayā nivattantu. Nirālayā imaṃ pabbataṃ abhiruhantū’’ti vatvā nisseṇiṃ bandhitvā sabbepi taṃ abhiruyha nisseṇiṃ pātetvā samaṇadhammaṃ kariṃsu. Tesu saṅghatthero ekarattātikkameneva arahattaṃ pāpuṇi. So anotattadahe nāgalatādantakaṭṭhaṃ khāditvā uttarakuruto piṇḍapātaṃ āharitvā te bhikkhū āha – ‘‘āvuso, imaṃ dantakaṭṭhaṃ khāditvā mukhaṃ dhovitvā imaṃ piṇḍapātaṃ paribhuñjathā’’ti. Kiṃ pana, bhante, amhehi evaṃ katikā katā ‘‘yo paṭhamaṃ arahattaṃ pāpuṇāti, tenābhataṃ piṇḍapātaṃ avasesā paribhuñjissantī’’ti? ‘‘No hetaṃ, āvuso’’ti. ‘‘Tena hi sace mayampi tumhe viya visesaṃ nibbattessāma, sayaṃ āharitvā paribhuñjissāmā’’ti na icchiṃsu. Dutiyadivase dutiyatthero anāgāmiphalaṃ pāpuṇi. Sopi tatheva piṇḍapātaṃ āharitvā itare nimantesi. Te evamāhaṃsu – ‘‘kiṃ pana, bhante, amhehi evaṃ katikā katā ‘mahātherena ābhataṃ piṇḍapātaṃ abhuñjitvā anutherena ābhataṃ bhuñjissāmā’’’ti? ‘‘No hetaṃ, āvuso’’ti. ‘‘Evaṃ sante tumhe viya mayampi visesaṃ nibbattetvā attano purisakārena bhuñjituṃ sakkontā bhuñjissāmā’’ti na icchiṃsu. Tesu arahattaṃ patto bhikkhu parinibbāyi, anāgāmī brahmaloke nibbatti. Itare pañca therā visesaṃ nibbattetuṃ asakkontā sussitvā sattame divase kālaṃ katvā devaloke nibbattitvā imasmiṃ buddhuppāde tato cavitvā tattha tattha kulagharesu nibbattiṃsu. Tesu eko pukkusāti rājā (ma. ni. 3.342) ahosi, eko kumārakassapo (ma. ni. 1.249), eko dārucīriyo (udā. 10), eko dabbo mallaputto (pārā. 380; udā. 79) eko sabhiyo paribbājakoti (su. ni. sabhiyasuttaṃ). Tattha yo brahmaloke nibbatto bhikkhu taṃ sandhāyetaṃ vuttaṃ ‘‘purāṇasālohitā devatā’’ti.

By “former blood-relative” is meant one who formerly practiced meditation with him. It appears that in former times, when the religion of Kassapa Possessed of the Ten Forces was disappearing from the earth, seven monks, observing with regret a change for the worse in the conduct of probationers, novices, and others, said to themselves, “So long as our religion has not yet disappeared, we will make our own salvation sure.” So after reverencing their golden shrine, they entered the forest, and seeing a certain mountain, they said, “Let those who still cherish attachment for the life of this world turn back; let those who have rid themselves of attachment ascend

this mountain." Thereupon they set up a ladder, and all of them ascended the mountain, whereupon they kicked the ladder down and devoted themselves to meditation. After but a single night had passed, one of them, the Elder of the Assembly, attained Arahatship.

The Elder of the Assembly chewed a toothstick of betel at Lake Anotatta, rinsed his mouth, brought food from North Kuru and said to those monks, "Brethren, chew this toothstick, rinse your mouths, and then eat this food." But this they refused to do, saying, "But, Reverend Sir, did we make the following agreement, 'All shall eat the food brought by him who first attains Arahatship'?" "We made no such agreement, brethren." "Well then, if, like you, we also develop Specific Attainment, we will bring food for ourselves and eat it." On the second day the Second Elder attained the Fruit of the Third Path, whereupon he likewise brought food to the monks and invited them to eat it. But they said, "But, Reverend Sir, did we agree not to eat the food brought by the Chief Elder, but to eat that which should be brought by a subordinate Elder?" "We did not so agree, brethren." "In that case, if, like you, we also develop Specific Attainment, we shall be able by our own unaided efforts to provide ourselves with food, and we shall so provide ourselves with food." Thus did they refuse to eat the food he had brought.

Of the seven monks, the Elder of the Assembly who had attained Arahatship passed into Nibbāna, he who had attained the Fruit of the Third Path was reborn in the Brahmā world, and the remaining five, unable to develop Specific Attainment, wasted and withered away, died on the seventh day, and were reborn in the World of the Gods. In the period of this present Buddha they passed from that state of existence, and were reborn in various households. One of them was King Pukkusāti, one was Kumāra Kassapa, one was Dārucīriya, one was Dabba the Malla, and one was the monk Sabhiya. The term "former blood-relative" therefore refers to the monk who was reborn in the Brahmā world.