Viyahapannatti 12.1: Uddeśaka 1: śaṃkha

1. Saṅkha, 2. Jayantī, 3. Earth, 4. Pudgala, 5. Transgression, 6. Rāhu, 7. and World; / 8. and Nāga, 9. Deva, 10. Ātman: [these are the] ten uddeśakas in the twelfth śataka.

At that time, in that period, there was a city named Sāvatthī—[to be described as before]. There was a caitya named Koṭṭhaya—[to be described as before]. There in the city of Sāvatthī lived many lay followers headed by Saṅkha—wealthy up to not overwhelmed by many people, understanding the animate and the inanimate up to purifying themselves through adopted austerities. That lay follower Saṅkha had a wife named Uppalā—with delicate hands and feet up to beautiful, a lay woman follower who understood the animate and the inanimate up to who lived purifying herself through adopted austerities. There in the city of Sāvatthī lived a lay follower named Pokkhalī—wealthy, understanding the animate and the inanimate up to purifying himself through adopted austerities.
At that time, in that period, the Lord arrived. The assembly [came out] up to paid homage. Then those lay followers, having received this news, just as in Ālabhiyā, up to paid homage. Then the Śramaṇa, the Lord Mahāvīra, expounded the Dharma to those lay followers and to that great assembly, up to the assembly departed.
Then those lay followers, having heard and grasped the Dharma before the Śramaṇa, the Lord Mahāvīra, glad and delighted, paid obeisance and reverence to the Śramaṇa, the Lord Mahāvīra. Having paid obeisance and reverence, they asked questions; having asked, they received the explanations; having received [them], they arose from their seats; having arisen, they departed from the presence of the Śramaṇa, the Lord Mahāvīra, from the Koṭṭhaya caitya; having departed, they set out to go toward the city of Sāvatthī.

Then the lay follower Saṅkha said to those lay followers: “Beloved of the gods! Have abundant food, drink, delicacies, and savouries prepared; and then, tasting, sampling, distributing, and consuming that abundant food, drink, delicacies, and savouries, let us abide keeping watch over the fortnightly poṣadha.”

Then those lay followers politely consented to this matter spoken by the lay follower Saṅkha.

Then an inward, reflective, desired, mental thought arose in that lay follower Saṅkha: “It is certainly not fit for me to abide keeping watch over the fortnightly poṣadha while tasting, sampling, distributing, and consuming that abundant food, drink, delicacies, and savouries. Indeed, it is better for me to abide keeping watch over the fortnightly poṣadha in the poṣadha hall, having undertaken the poṣadha, observing celibacy, casting off jewels and gold, free from garlands, pigments, and unguents, having laid down weapons and pestles, solitary and companionless, seated on a couch of darbha grass.” Having reflected thus, he went towards the city of Śrāvastī, towards his own house, towards the lay follower Uppalā. Having arrived, he took leave of the lay follower Uppalā, and went towards the poṣadha hall. Having arrived, he entered the poṣadha hall; having entered, he swept the poṣadha hall; having swept it, he inspected the ground for evacuating excrement and urine; having inspected it, he spread out a litter of darbha grass; having spread it out, he mounted the litter of darbha grass; and having mounted it, he remained in the poṣadha hall observing the poṣadha, celibate, casting off jewels and gold, free from garlands, pigments, and unguents, having laid down weapons and pestles, solitary, companionless, seated on the litter of darbha grass, keeping watch over the fortnightly poṣadha.

Then those lay followers went towards the city of Śrāvastī, towards their respective houses. Having arrived, they had abundant food, drink, delicacies, and savouries prepared. Having had them prepared, they called to one another and said: “Thus, beloved of the gods! That abundant food, drink, delicacies, and savouries has been prepared by us, but the lay follower Saṅkha has not come quickly. Therefore, beloved of the gods, it is better for us to send for the lay follower Saṅkha.”

Then the lay follower Pokkhalī said to those lay followers: “Remain here, beloved of the gods, fully tranquil and at ease; I shall call the lay follower Saṅkha.” Having said so, he departed from those lay followers, walked right through the middle of the city of Śrāvastī to the house of the lay follower Saṅkha, arrived, and entered the house of the lay follower Saṅkha.

Then the lay follower Uppalā saw the lay follower Pokkhalī arriving. Seeing him, joyful and pleased, she rose from her seat, walked seven or eight paces toward him, venerated and paid homage to the lay follower Pokkhalī, and having venerated and paid homage to him, offered him a seat and said: “Command, beloved of the gods! What is the purpose of your arrival?”

Then the lay follower Pokkhalī said to the lay follower Uppalā: “Where, beloved of the gods, is the lay follower Saṅkha?”

Then the lay follower Uppalā said to the lay follower Pokkhalī: “Thus indeed, beloved of the gods! The lay follower Saṅkha is staying in the poṣadha hall, observing the poṣadha, celibate, having cast off jewels and gold, free from garlands, pigments, and unguents, having laid down weapons and pestles, solitary, companionless, seated on a litter of darbha grass, keeping watch over the fortnightly poṣadha.”

Then the lay follower Pokkhalī went towards the poṣadha hall, towards the lay follower Saṅkha. Having arrived, he performed pratikramaṇa for his comings and goings, venerated and paid homage to the lay follower Saṅkha, and having venerated and paid homage, said thus: “Thus indeed, beloved of the gods! That abundant food, drink, delicacies, and savouries has been prepared by us. Therefore let us go, beloved of the gods; tasting, sampling, distributing, and consuming that abundant food, drink, delicacies, and savouries, let us abide keeping watch over the fortnightly poṣadha.”

Then the lay follower Saṅkha said to the lay follower Pokkhalī: “It is indeed not fitting, beloved of the gods, to abide keeping watch over the fortnightly poṣadha while tasting, sampling, distributing, and consuming that abundant food, drink, delicacies, and savouries. It is fitting for me to abide keeping watch over the fortnightly poṣadha in the poṣadha hall, having undertaken the poṣadha, celibate, casting off jewels and gold, free from garlands, pigments, and unguents, having laid down weapons and pestles, solitary, companionless, seated on a litter of darbha grass. Therefore, at your pleasure, beloved of the gods, you may abide keeping watch over the fortnightly poṣadha while tasting, sampling, distributing, and consuming that abundant food, drink, delicacies, and savouries.”

Then the lay follower Pokkhalī departed from the presence of the lay follower Saṅkha, from the poṣadha hall, went right through the middle of the city of Śrāvastī to where those lay followers were, arrived, and said to those lay followers: “Thus indeed, beloved of the gods! The lay follower Saṅkha is abiding in the poṣadha hall observing the poṣadha [and so forth]. Therefore, at your pleasure, beloved of the gods, you may abide keeping watch over the fortnightly poṣadha while tasting, sampling, distributing, and consuming the abundant food, drink, delicacies, and savouries; the lay follower Saṅkha will not come right now.” Then those lay followers lived tasting [and consuming] that abundant food, drink, delicacies, and savouries.

Then, as that lay follower Saṅkha was keeping the religious vigil in the late part of the night, such an inward, reflective, desired, mental thought arose: “Indeed, it is better for me, tomorrow when the night has turned into dawn […] when the thousand-rayed sun, the maker of day, has risen, blazing with brilliance, to venerate and pay homage to the Śramaṇa, the Lord Mahāvīra, attend upon him […], and having returned from there, break the fortnightly poṣadha.” Having reflected thus, tomorrow at the dawn of night […], when the thousand-rayed sun, the maker of day, had risen, blazing with brilliance, he stepped out of the poṣadha hall. Having stepped out, he dressed in clean, auspicious garments suitable for entering [an assembly], left his home, walked right through the middle of the city of Śrāvastī on foot, went towards the Koṭṭhaka caitya, towards the Śramaṇa, the Lord Mahāvīra, and having arrived, made three pradakṣiṇās from left to right, venerated and paid homage, and having venerated and paid homage, attended upon him with the threefold attendance.

Then those lay followers, tomorrow when the night had turned into dawn […] when the thousand-rayed sun, the maker of day, had risen, blazing with brilliance, having bathed, performed the customary offerings, […] and adorned their bodies with few but precious ornaments, stepped out from their respective houses. Having stepped out, they assembled together, went on foot right through the middle of the city of Śrāvastī, went towards the Koṭṭhaka caitya, towards the Śramaṇa, the Lord Mahāvīra, and having arrived, attended upon the Śramaṇa, the Lord Mahāvīra, with the threefold attendance […].

Then the Śramaṇa, the Lord Mahāvīra, expounded the Dharma to those lay followers and to that very large assembly [… so that they became] observers of the instruction.

Then those lay followers, having heard and grasped the Dharma from the Śramaṇa, the Lord Mahāvīra, joyful and pleased, arose from their seats, venerated and paid homage to the Śramaṇa, the Lord Mahāvīra, and having venerated and paid homage, went towards the lay follower Saṅkha. Having arrived, they said to the lay follower Saṅkha: “Beloved of the gods! Yesterday you yourself told us: ‘Beloved of the gods! Prepare abundant food, drink, delicacies, and savouries, and then tasting, sampling, distributing, and consuming that abundant food, drink, delicacies, and savouries, we shall abide keeping watch over the fortnightly poṣadha.’ Yet you yourself remained in the poṣadha hall, observing the poṣadha, celibate, casting off jewels and gold, free from garlands, pigments, and unguents, having laid down weapons and pestles, solitary, companionless, seated on a litter of darbha grass, keeping watch over the fortnightly poṣadha! Indeed, beloved of the gods, you have thoroughly mocked us!”

“O Noble Ones!” said the Śramaṇa, the Lord Mahāvīra, to those lay followers: “Noble Ones! Do not disparage, censure, mock, blame, or despise the lay follower Saṅkha. The lay follower Saṅkha indeed holds the Dharma dear, is firm in the Dharma, and has kept the vigil of the truly discerning!”

"O Venerable Sir!" Saying thus, the venerable Gautama paid homage to and bowed down before the Śramaṇa, the Lord Mahāvīra, and having paid homage and bowed down, he spoke thus: "How many kinds of vigilance, Venerable Sir, have been taught?"
"Gautama! Three kinds of vigilance have been taught, namely: vigilance of the enlightened, vigilance of the un-enlightened, and vigilance of the discerning."
"For what reason, Venerable Sir, is it said that three kinds of vigilance have been taught, namely: vigilance of the enlightened, vigilance of the un-enlightened, and vigilance of the discerning?"
"Gautama! These arhats, lords, who possess arisen knowledge and vision, worthy, conquerors, omniscient, knowers of the past, present, and future, omniscient, all-seeing—these, being enlightened, keep the vigilance of the enlightened.
These homeless ascetics, the venerable ones, who are vigilant in walking, vigilant in speech, vigilant in begging, vigilant in taking up and putting down bowls and utensils, vigilant in disposing of feces, urine, spittle, snot, and bodily dirt, vigilant in mind, vigilant in speech, vigilant in body, restrained in mind, restrained in speech, restrained in body, guarded, with senses guarded, living in guarded celibacy—these, being un-enlightened, keep the vigilance of the un-enlightened.
These lay followers who comprehend the sentient and non-sentient souls, up to practicing austerities and cultivating their souls with assumed vows—these keep the vigilance of the discerning. For this reason, Gautama, it is said that three kinds of vigilance have been taught, namely: vigilance of the enlightened, vigilance of the un-enlightened, and vigilance of the discerning."

Then that lay follower Śaṅkha paid homage to and bowed down before the Śramaṇa, the Lord Mahāvīra, and having paid homage and bowed down, spoke thus:
"Venerable Sir! What does a soul overcome by anger bind? What does it produce? What does it accumulate? What does it augment?"
"Śaṅkha! A soul overcome by anger transforms the seven karma-species, excluding lifespan karma, that were bound with loose bonds into those bound with firm bonds; it transforms those of short duration into those of long duration; it transforms those of mild fruition into those of intense fruition; it transforms those with few space-points into those with many space-points; and it may bind or may not bind lifespan karma; and it repeatedly augments unpleasant-feeling-producing karma; and it wanders through the beginningless, endless, long, four-realm wilderness of saṃsāra."
"Venerable Sir! What does a soul overcome by pride bind? What does it produce? What does it accumulate? What does it augment?" Just so, up to "wanders through."
"Venerable Sir! What does a soul overcome by deceit bind? What does it produce? What does it accumulate? What does it augment?" Just so, up to "wanders through."
"Venerable Sir! What does a soul overcome by greed bind? What does it produce? What does it accumulate? What does it augment?" Just so, up to "wanders through."
Then those lay followers, having heard and grasped this matter in the presence of the Śramaṇa, the Lord Mahāvīra, became afraid, frightened, terrified, alarmed by the fear of saṃsāra; they paid homage to and bowed down before the Śramaṇa, the Lord Mahāvīra, and having paid homage and bowed down, went to where the lay follower Śaṅkha was; having approached, they paid homage to and bowed down before the lay follower Śaṅkha, and having paid homage and bowed down, properly and with humility repeatedly sought his forgiveness for that matter. Then those lay followers asked questions, and having asked, comprehended their meanings; and having comprehended, paid homage to and bowed down before the Śramaṇa, the Lord Mahāvīra, and having paid homage and bowed down, departed in the direction from which they had come.
"O Venerable Sir!" Saying thus, the venerable Gautama paid homage to and bowed down before the Śramaṇa, the Lord Mahāvīra, and having paid homage and bowed down, spoke thus: "Is the lay follower Śaṅkha capable, Venerable Sir, of becoming tonsured in the presence of the Beloved of the Gods and renouncing the household life for the homeless life?"
"This meaning is not admissible. Gautama! The lay follower Śaṅkha, cultivating his soul with many moral practices, vows, virtues, abstinences, renunciations, and poṣadha fasts, [and] with accepted austerities, will spend many years in the course of a lay follower; having spent [them], he will emaciate his soul through a one-month saṃlekhanā; having emaciated [it], he will forgo sixty meals through fasting; having forgone [them], having confessed and repented, having attained tranquil concentration, at the time of death, having met death, he will be reborn as a deity in the Aruṇābha vimāna in the Saudharma heaven. There, for some deities, a lifespan duration of four palyopamas is taught. There, the lifespan duration of Śaṅkha as a deity will also be four palyopamas."
"Venerable Sir! From that divine world, with the exhaustion of lifespan, with the exhaustion of existence, with the exhaustion of lifespan duration, immediately upon descending, where will that Śaṅkha deity go? Where will he be reborn?"
"Gautama! In the Mahāvideha realm, he will attain perfection, attain enlightenment, attain liberation, attain complete nirvāṇa, and put an end to all suffering."
"So it is, Venerable Sir! So it is, Venerable Sir!"—up to [Gautama] continues to dwell.