Dhammapada 8.2.p7

8.2.p7

‘‘So kira vīsati vassasahassāni samaṇadhammaṃ karonto ‘bhikkhunā nāma attanā paccaye labhitvā aññaṃ anoloketvā sayameva paribhuñjituṃ vaṭṭatī’ti ekabhikkhussāpi pattena vā cīvarena vā saṅgahaṃ na akāsi, tenassa iddhimayapattacīvaraṃ na upajjissatī’’ti ñatvā ehibhikkhubhāvena pabbajjaṃ na adāsi. Tampi pattacīvaraṃ pariyesamānameva ekā yakkhinī dhenurūpena āgantvā uramhi paharitvā jīvitakkhayaṃ pāpesi. Satthā piṇḍāya caritvā katabhattakicco sambahulehi bhikkhūhi saddhiṃ nikkhanto bāhiyassa sarīraṃ saṅkāraṭṭhāne patitaṃ disvā bhikkhū āṇāpesi, ‘‘bhikkhave, ekasmiṃ gehadvāre ṭhatvā mañcakaṃ āharāpetvā imaṃ sarīraṃ nagarato nīharitvā jhāpetvā thūpaṃ karothā’’ti. Bhikkhū tathā kariṃsu, katvā ca pana vihāraṃ gantvā satthāraṃ upasaṅkamitvā attanā katakiccaṃ ārocetvā tassa abhisamparāyaṃ pucchiṃsu. Atha nesaṃ bhagavā tassa parinibbutabhāvaṃ ācikkhitvā ‘‘etadaggaṃ, bhikkhave, mama sāvakānaṃ bhikkhūnaṃ khippābhiññānaṃ yadidaṃ bāhiyo dārucīriyo’’ti (a. ni. 1.216) etadagge ṭhapesi. Atha naṃ bhikkhū pucchiṃsu – ‘‘bhante, tumhe ‘bāhiyo arahattaṃ patto’ti vadetha, kadā so arahattaṃ patto’’ti? ‘‘Mama dhammaṃ sutakāle, bhikkhave’’ti. ‘‘Kadā panassa, bhante, tumhehi dhammo kathito’’ti? ‘‘Piṇḍāya carantena antaravīthiyaṃ ṭhatvā’’ti. ‘‘Appamattako hi, bhante, tumhehi antaravīthiyaṃ ṭhatvā kathitadhammo kathaṃ so tāvattakena visesaṃ nibbattesī’’ti, atha ne satthā ‘‘kiṃ, bhikkhave, mama dhammaṃ ‘appaṃ vā bahuṃ vā’ti mā pamāṇaṃ gaṇhatha. Anekānipi hi gāthāsahassāni anatthanissitāni na seyyo, atthanissitaṃ pana ekampi gāthāpadaṃ seyyo’’ti vatvā anusandhiṃ ghaṭetvā dhammaṃ desento imaṃ gāthamāha –

As Bāhiya was seeking bowl and robe, a certain ogress in the form of a heifer approached, struck him with her left shoulder, and deprived him of life. The Teacher, after making his round for alms and after eating his breakfast, came forth with a large company of monks, and saw the body of Bāhiya lying prostrate on the dust-heap. Straightway he commanded the monks as follows, “Monks, bring a litter which stands at the door of a certain house, carry the body of this man out of the city, burn it, and erect a mound over the remains.” The monks did so, and having so done, returned to the monastery, approached the Teacher, told him what they had done, and inquired about the future state of the dead man.

Thereupon the Teacher announced that he had passed into Nibbāna, and assigned him preëminence, saying, “Monks, preëminent among my disciples and monks who are quick to learn the truth is Bāhiya Dārucīriya.” Then the monks asked him, “Reverend Sir, you say, ‘Bāhiya Dārucīriya has attained Arahatship;’ when did he attain Arahatship?” “Monks, it was when he heard me preach the Law.” “But when did you preach the Law to him?” “While I was making my rounds for alms, standing in the middle of the street.” “Was not the discourse you delivered standing in the middle of the street an extremely short one, Reverend Sir? How was it that he developed Specific Attainment after hearing so very little?” Then said the Teacher to them, “Monks, do not measure my Law as being ‘little’ or ‘much.’ There is no virtue even in many thousands of Stanzas. A single sentence of a Stanza, which contains the truth, is better.” And when he had thus spoken, he joined the connection, and preaching the Law, he pronounced the following Stanza,